Roscommon's Donie Smith has been hit with a one match suspension. Video footage appeared to show him gouging the eye of an opponent.
The incident occurred during the 1-8 to 1-7 loss to Mayo in testing conditions during the Allianz League opener last weekend.
The footage was widely circulated on social media and appeared to show Smith’s hand making contact with Keith Higgins’ face.
No action was taken by referee Barry Cassidy at the time but the CCCC investigated the incident and they found there was a case to answer.
The GAA's Central Competitions Control Committee reviewed available footage however and decided to issue a one game ban.
He was sanctioned as the CCCC believed it to be a category III offence: “behaviour considered dangerous to an opponent”
Smith will miss Sunday’s Allainz League clash with Monaghan at Dr Hyde Park.
Former Kerry star demands: “There has to be consequences"
Former Kerry captain Darran O’Sullivan told the Irish Mirror that the GAA need to dish out lengthy bans for anyone found to have gouged an opponents eye:
“I've had it happen to me, I've seen it happen to other players and there's no getting away from it - it's ugly. It's very wrong.
“You look back at old games, 20/30 years ago, and two fellas would stand face to face and give each other a rap on the jaw.
“There'd be a red card or two and it would be done and dusted. You'd kind of begrudgingly respect that, there was nothing sly or sneaky in it.
“Stuff like eye-gouging and fingers into the mouth must be stamped out. It looks awful and the GAA are going to have to be strong on it.
“I'm sure he's probably regretting it now, but I reckon he's in trouble.
“You don't want to see anyone suspended and missing game time.
“But when you make an error of judgement like that you have to pay the price.
“There has to be consequences, otherwise what's to stop someone else doing it.”
