Matthew Fitzpatrick has had his 48-week ban overturned.
Earlier this week, the Antrim footballer was hit with the lengthy suspension after he was found to have 'given deliberately false evidence and deliberately misled' a GAA disciplinary hearing.
Fitzpatrick had twice been given a one-match suspension in recent weeks due to an off the ball incident during Antrim's Division 3 National League game against Armagh in March. However, Fitzpatrick won an appeal against those bans on both occasions.
He was then hauled before the GAA's Central Hearings Committee again this week where he was given the 48-week ban.
As revealed by Declan Bogue in the Belfast Telegraph, Fitzpatrick intended to appeal the ban on Wednesday with the help of Joe Brolly.
The barrister announced on Twitter late last night that Fitzpatrick had been successful in his appeal. The forward will be free to play in Antrim's opening game of the Ulster Championship against Donegal this weekend.
Matt Fitzpatrick's appeal upheld by CAC just now. Decision quashed. Free to play on Sunday. The law will set you free..
— Joe Brolly (@JoeBrolly1993) May 17, 2017
Brolly called the basis for the ban 'complete bollocks'.
I can reveal that the case v Matt Fitzpatrick was thrown out on the well known legal basis that it was complete bollocks.
— Joe Brolly (@JoeBrolly1993) May 18, 2017
The case would also appear to have given the Derryman plenty of fodder for his column this weekend.
@roughfield @officialgaa It was a scandal. I intend to write about it Joe.
— Joe Brolly (@JoeBrolly1993) May 18, 2017
Picture credit: Sportsfile
