Midleton's Sam Quirke has suspension lifted after successful appeal

Midleton hurler Sam Quirke, club chairperson John Fenton and secretary Liam Wade have all been reinstated by the Central Council in Croke Park this morning after a successful appeal.

Quirke was initially suspended after being found ineligible for Midleton’s win over Charleville, as his period of clearance with Tipperary San Francisco was deemed not to have expired.

As a result both the club chairperson and secretary were also suspended, and Midleton appealed the decision made by the Cork County Board’s Competitions Control Committee.

The club have successfully won their appeal, meaning that Quirke is now eligible for their final Premier Senior Hurling Championship group fixture against Erin’s Own tomorrow.

However, as the midfielder previously suffered a knuckle injury four weeks ago in training, it’s unclear whether he will play a part in their clash with the Caherlag side in Páirc Uí Rinn. 

He will certainly be back in time for the quarter-finals, should Midleton get the draw or win they need to qualify, though if Charleville defeat Kanturk, a defeat could still see them through to the knockout stages.

His return to the side would certainly be a welcome boost – with the two time All-Ireland U20 winner playing a key role in their 2021 championship victory over Glen Rovers, which saw Midleton win the title for the eighth time in their history.