30 March 2016; Donegal manager Declan Bonner with referee Barry Cassidy after the final whistle. EirGrid Ulster GAA Football U21 Championship, Semi-Final, Tyrone v Donegal, Celtic Park, Derry. Picture credit: Oliver McVeigh / SPORTSFILE
DONEGAL Under 21 manager Declan Bonner has been handed a 24-week ban for comments made to the referee Barry Cassidy after his side’s defeat to Tyrone in Ulster Championship semi-final at Celtic Park last week.
Bonner’s men were defeated by Tyrone on a scoreline of 1-15 to 2-8, but his team were a point up when they lost midfielder Caolan McGonagle to a black card, and his centrefield colleague Stephen McMenamin to a red card at the same time midway through the second half.
Donegal were then reduced to 13 players seven minutes later, when Bruce Waldron – who was McGonagle’s replacement – was given his marching orders, and Tyrone went on to saunter into the Ulster Final, where they lost out to Monaghan on Wednesday night.
Bonner was far from impressed with Cassidy’s performance in the semi-final and he confronted the Derry official immediately after the final whistle.
It is also believed that both counties have had fines of €2000 imposed on them, for their involvement in a melee which started after the final whistle.
The Ulster CCC (Competitions Control Committee) met on Wednesday night to discuss the incidents and the respective counties were informed of their findings on Thursday morning.
Donegal GAA secretary Aideen Gillen confirmed that she had received an email from the provincial body, but said that she had no comment to make on the matter at the moment.
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