Mayo fans can breathe a sigh of relief with the news that Paddy Durcan has avoided an All-Ireland final suspension.
Durcan was shown a second yellow card by referee David Gough and sent off in stoppage time at the end of their dramatic All-Ireland semi-final replay win over Kerry at Croke Park on Saturday.
The hard-running wing-back was also sent off in Mayo’s All-Ireland qualifier win against Derry earlier in the season.
But he served his suspension for that straight red card, serving a one-match ban against Clare, meaning that his double-yellow against the Kingdom has no lasting consequences.
The GAA’s Central Competition Controls Committee (CCCC) confirmed to RTÉ Sport that he was in the clear.
Two straight red cards at inter-county level inside 48 weeks means an extended ban, but because Durcan’s seance sending off was for two bookings this doesn’t affect him.
Mayo manager Stephen Rochford has used the Castlebar Mitchels man as an impact substitute in the last two games, the draw and 2-16 to 0-17 replay win over the Kingdom. In the draw he came off the bench for Colm Boyle and on Saturday he replaced the injured Donal Vaughan before the end of half-time.
He will be looking to force his way into the starting line-up for the All-Ireland final against Dublin or Tyrone on September 17, but Rochford may against chose to hold him in reserve in order to make a splash coming into the game.
The replayed semi-final was a spiky affair with the teams niggling at each other from before throw-in.
In total Gough showed 17 cards, between yellow, black and red, and it was tough to keep track of who was going into the book, particularly in the tetchy closing minutes as Mayo looked to slow Kerry down and the Kingdom players showed their frustration.
Peter Crowley and Durcan both got two yellows while Kerry full-forward Kieran Donaghy got a straight red to go with his earlier yellow so it ended 14-against-13.
A number of Mayo players, including current Player of the Year Lee Keegan, came into this game with two black cards already this year. The worry for them was another against Kerry would mean an automatic one-game ban and missing the All-Ireland final.
They all managed to avoid this fate, however and they are free to place in the Sam Maguire decider.
