Dr Crokes in rude health for final as Buckley is cleared

JOHNNY BUCKLEY has been cleared to play for Dr Crokes in the All-Ireland club football final later this month.

Buckley was successful before a Central Hearings Committee panel last night in overturning the red card he picked up against Mullinalaghta in the semi-final.

The former Kerry captain was reported for a striking offence by referee Sean Hurson but Dr Crokes were able to produce video footage from behind the goals in Thurles which supported his case, clearing him to play against Corofin on St Patrick’s Day.

Meanwhile, Waterford have been given the green light to stage both of their Munster SHC round-robin games at Walsh Park this summer, but the capacity has been set at 11,000.

After meeting with Munster Council officials yesterday, the Waterford County Board were informed that they could press ahead with plans to play Clare on May 12 and All-Ireland champions Limerick on June 2 at the city venue.

Waterford had to play both games at other venues – Cork in Semple Stadium and Tipperary in Limerick’s Gaelic Grounds – last year because of safety issues which reduced capacity to a level that the provincial body deemed unsuitable.

But the Association’s health and safety consultants have set the capacity at 11,000 and that has been deemed sufficient for the games to go ahead at the venue.

Walsh Park is to undergo redevelopment later this year with a new 15,500-capacity stadium – 9,000 seats – at an ambitiously low cost of €7m.

The ground has not been used for a Munster championship match since 1996 when Tipperary beat Waterford by three points.