Laois minor hurling captain Darren Houlihan will miss tonight’s Leinster MHC semi-final with Wexford after his appeal for a suspension picked up against Dublin was rejected last week.

Houlihan, who was acting as a Maor Camán for the game due to injury, was reported by Kilkenny referee Sean Cleere after the game for interfering with the Dublin full forward. Laois manager Tony Ryan attended the appeal hearing last week, and felt they had put a strong case forward on Houlihan’s behalf, “We proved on video evidence that Darren was at the other end of the field at the time he was supposed to have interfered with the Dublin full forward.

“We put doubt into their minds and they went back and asked the referee to review it but he was adamant he got the right man, so the suspension stands.”

Houlihan has received a more tougher eight week ban as he was dealt with as an official, due to the fact he was acting as a Maor Camán on the day. His suspension will begin from the date of the game, but should Laois manage to get over Wexford, it will mean he misses the Leinster final as well.

Elsewhere within the minor camp, the team has been named for the game tonight, with doubts surrounding Willie Campion, who is struggling with an ankle injury.

The team shows just one change from the Dublin game, with Darren King coming in at wing forward for Timahoe’s Robbie Foyle.

The team in full is: Barry Wall (Borris in Ossory); Dale Bergin (Shanahoe), Pakie Flynn (The Harps), Conor Hyland (Clonaslee St Manman’s); Gearoid Gaughan (Castletown), Willie Campion (Kilcotton), Johnny Finnane (Clough Ballacolla); Paul Harding (Castletown), Andrew Dowling (Rathdowney Errill); Gearoid Burke (Camross), Tony Ryan (Colt), Darren King (Rathdowney Errill); Willie Dunphy (Clough Ballacolla), Neil Foyle (Borris in Ossory), TJ Lalor (Ballinakill)

Rory Delaney, Leinster Express

Filed under: Laois Hurling, Laois County Underage, Inter County