Ciaran McKeever is expected to escape punishment for an alleged kicking offence after appearing before the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) last night.

The Armagh captain and Laois' Billy Sheehan were summoned to Croke Park to give their accounts of what happened in the tunnel during last Sunday week's controversial Allianz Football League clash in Portlaoise. McKeever was red-carded by referee Michael Duffy on his return to the field for the second half amid claims that he had kicked out at Sheehan in the tunnel.

McKeever was subsequently hit with a two-match ban by the CCCC, but was cleared to play against Down last Saturday night following a successful appeal to the Central Hearings Committee (CHC). However, the Cullyhanna clubman wasn't fully cleared with the CHC having referred the case back to the CCCC for further investigation.

But it's understood that the CCCC could not find a creditable witness who was willing to back up fourth official Stephen Johnston's claim that McKeever drew a kick at an opponent in what was a crowded tunnel area.

A fresh two-match ban would have ruled the centre back out of the Orchard County's Allianz Football League Division 1 relegation clash with Donegal on Sunday week and their Ulster championship opener against Tyrone in early June. Tweet

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