Antrim footballer Matthew Fitzpatrick has had his 48-week ban overturned.
The St. John's forward is now free to play against Donegal in the Ulster Championship this weekend. Fitzpatrick appealed the ban, and the Central Appeals Committee upheld the ban overnight.
Former All-Ireland winner Joe Brolly led Antrim's appeal. The Sunday Game analyst is also a barrister. In the early hours of Thursday morning, he revealed the ban was overturned.
Matt Fitzpatrick's appeal upheld by CAC just now. Decision quashed. Free to play on Sunday. The law will set you free..
— Joe Brolly (@JoeBrolly1993) May 17, 2017
I can reveal that the case v Matt Fitzpatrick was thrown out on the well known legal basis that it was complete bollocks.
— Joe Brolly (@JoeBrolly1993) May 18, 2017
In a statement released by the GAA on Tuesday afternoon, they revealed Fitzpatrick was given the lengthy ban for a breach of Rule 7.3 (aa) (4).
The Rule states; "Any Member found by the Hearings Committee to have given deliberately false evidence, whether orally or in writing, or to have deliberately misled any Hearing, shall be suspended for a minimum of 48 weeks, without a further Hearing."
Fitzpatrick had previously been before the Hearings Committee on two occasions over an incident in an ill-tempered match at the Athletic Grounds, both teams had players sent off. Armagh would win the game 1-12 to 0-13.
Speaking on Twitter, Brolly also added that the situation Fitzpatrick found himself in with the GAA's disciplinary body was "a travesty from beginning to end".
Antrim play Donegal in Ballybofey on Sunday afternoon, with Fitzpatrick eligible to play for the Saffrons.
See you on Sunday @officialdonegal 👌 #SupportTheSaffrons pic.twitter.com/LFKTHQDI14
— Antrim GAA (@AontroimGAA) May 17, 2017
Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!
Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.
