Gleeson "distraught" after red card

Waterford half-back Conor Gleeson is "distraught" at the prospect of missing the All-Ireland final, according to Deise selector Dan Shanahan.

Gleeson was red carded late on in Sunday's All-Ireland SFC 4-19 to 0-20 semi-final win over Cork for lashing out at Pa Horgan, and is set to miss the showpiece final against Galway at Croke Park on 3 September. 

But Shanahan says Waterford will explore all avenues to try and appeal any possible suspension for Gleeson, as they did for Tadgh de Burca ahead of the semi-final.

De Burca was sent off against Wexford in the All-Ireland SHC quarter-final for attempting to pull off Harry Kehoe's helmet, and Waterford made numerous appeals all the way up to the independent Disputes Resolution Authority to try to overturn his ban.

"He's distraught, absolutely distraught, we have said we’ll do what we have to do to get him back as we tried with Tadhg," Shanahan said.

"He's a man-marker. He's been man-marked himself playing football before. He's a good corner-forward in football and he's been man-marked by men and he knows how to mark fellahs.

"He's leggy, he's saucy, he’s everything you don't want to be on and that's what he's all about. 

"If Conor's not there, please god he will be, Tadhg is back and we'll just have to drive on."

Waterford's Austin Gleeson could also face a ban after he appeared the pull the faceguard of Luke Meade during Sunday's 11-point victory over Cork.

"I haven't been aware until you said it there of any sort of an incident involving a helmet," Deise manager Derek McGrath told RTE after the game. 

"We'll see what happens."

Photo Inpho/ James Crombie

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