Loughrea's hopes of winning the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Club Final have recieved a major boost with the news last night that Cullen Killeen will be able to play in tomorrow's decider at Croke Park.
Kileen had been sent off in Loughrea's Semi-Final win over Slaughtneil after being shown a straight red card, and an earlier appeal to the GAA’s Central Hearings Committee (CHC) and Central Appeals Committee (CAC) was turned down.
However, an appeal to the Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA) found in favour of the player.
In a meeting that lasted three hours last night, the panel of Dermot Flanagan, Gareth Robinson and Con Hogan adjudged that the CAC had erred in claiming the CHC had reviewed video evidence provided by Loughrea to counter the referee’s decision and did not find it compelling.
“It is clear from the CHC's minutes and its decision that that was not the test that was applied,” argued the DRA “The Tribunal determined that there was a misapplication of Rule 7.3 (aa) (1) (vi) T.O. 2025.”
The judgment continued: “The Tribunal determined that the CAC erred in not identifying a misapplication of Rule 7.3 (aa) (1) (vi) T.O. 2025.
"Pursuant to Rule 7.6 (q) the Tribunal quashed the decision of the Central Appeals Committee (CAC) dated 15 January 2026. The Tribunal thereafter quashed the decision of the Central Hearings Committee (CHC) dated 9 January 2026. The Tribunal directs no further action on the part of the decision maker pursuant to precedent.”
