Mariner O’Donovan given eight-match ban for headbutt

Published 01/06/2016, 10:46 AM EST

REUTERS – A-League basement dwellers Central Coast Mariners will be without striker Roy O’Donovan for eight matches after the Irishman was banned for headbutting Wellington defender Manny Muscat.

O’Donovan faced a Football Federation Australia committee hearing on Wednesday where he pleaded guilty, but with mitigating circumstances, to a charge of violent conduct during the Mariners’ 3-1 win in Gosford on New Years Day.

The referee had missed the incident which came after Muscat elbowed O’Donovan. Both players were booked by the official with Muscat suspended for two games on Tuesday for his role in the altercation.

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Mariners chief executive Shaun Mielekamp said the club would appeal the decision.

“We are extremely disappointed at the decision,” he said.

“The disparity in sanctions issued for this match highlights the flaws in the system.

“The media circus around the incident has had a high impact on the result and we will look at our various avenues for appeal.”

(Writing by Patrick Johnston in Singapore; editing by Amlan Chakraborty)

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Dhruv George is a senior Formula One and NASCAR analyst for EssentiallySports, having authored nearly 12000 articles spanning different sports like F1, NASCAR, Tennis, NFL, and eSports. He graduated with a PG Diploma in Journalism from the Xavier Institute of Communications. Dhruv has also conducted interviews with F1 driver Pierre Gasly and Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino.