McGuinness hit with eight-week ban for fielding ineligible player on GAA team

Donegal boss Jim McGuinness has been hit with an eight-week suspension after Donegal fielded an ineligible player in their opening McKenna Cup win over Armagh.

Naomh Conaill teenager Finbarr Roarty (17) started against the Orchard men in the side’s 3-16 to 1-6 victory in Ballybofey last Wednesday night.

The player turned 18 on Thursday last, however, according to the rulebook, Roarty is still ineligible to play Allianz Football League or senior championship football in 2024 since he did not reach the age of 18 in 2023.

The Ulster Council enforce the same rule and a sanction has now been handed down to their manager. Donegal will also be stripped of the two points picked up in the win. But those points won't go to Armagh as they didn't field the appeal. 

Speaking on the matter after Sunday’s McKenna Cup win over Tyrone in Omagh, McGuinness suggested Donegal would consider the appeals route if any sanctions did come their way.

“We’re just going to have to wait and see. There’s maybe a meeting so we’re going to have to wait on the outcome.

“If it is, so be it. We can’t control the boardroom, other than appeal, which everybody else seems to do in the GAA.”