Mayo's Keegan and Vaughan walking black card tightrope

MAYO is in real danger of losing two players to suspension as the All-Ireland championship reaches its boiling point, The Connaught Telegraph has learned.

As Stephen Rochford's charges face Kerry in Sunday's SFC semi-final, two of his players -  Lee Keegan and Donal Vaughan - are walking a disciplinary tightrope in terms of playing in the All-Ireland final should Mayo come out on top against the Kingdom.

According to the GAA rule book, a player will be suspended for one match if he either receives three black cards within the year's league or championship campaign, three double yellow cards, three instances of a black card following a yellow card in a match, or any combination of the previous three.

Ahead of Sunday's game, both Keegan and Vaughan, along with three Kerry players, have picked up two black each. 

Should any of them receive a black next Sunday they will get an automatic one-match suspension, which will be their next championship game. 

That will mean that the two Mayo and three Kerry players would miss the All-Ireland final if they get a black next Sunday. This is unless Sunday's game ends in a draw which would then rule them out of the replay.

There has been a lot of confusion regarding black cards picked up by players and whether or not a suspension carries into an All-Ireland final. 

Speaking to The Connaught Telegraph this evening Connacht GAA Council secretary John Prenty confirmed that blacks cards will apply to All-Ireland finals.

He explained: “While there was a proposal which was passed that blacks or yellow cards picked up by players would not count regarding suspension for All-Ireland finals it was never entered into the GAA rule book, and therefore any ban from cards picked up by players will also count for All-Ireland finals. 

'Should any of the two Mayo or three Kerry players who are on two blacks going into Sunday's semi-final pick up a third black card it will rule them out of the final. This is unless Sunday's game ends in a draw in which case they would be unable to play in the replay.

“However, while the one-match ban for three blacks cards, or a combination of black and yellow cards, comes into place until the final card is picked up by a said player, it means a player can't appeal any of the cards he has picked up until that time. 

'Take for instance if a player picks up a third black he can only then appeal anyone of the three, be it the first, second or third one. Then. I suppose  this gives the players the extra chance of getting one their cards rescinded,†added Mr. Prenty.