Peter O’Mahony will miss Ireland’s next three games of the 2021 Guinness Six Nations after being handed a three-match ban following his red card in the Round 1 defeat to Wales.
The Ireland flanker was sent off on 13 minutes by referee Wayne Barnes in Cardiff for dangerous play, after making contact with the head of Wales prop Tomas Francis while clearing out a ruck.
Despite playing the rest of the game with 14 men, Ireland led at half-time but a second-half comeback ensured Wales started their Championship with a 21-16 win.
O’Mahony became the first Irishman to be sent off in a Guinness Six Nations match and will now miss the upcoming contests against France, Italy and Scotland, although he will be eligible to return for the Round 5 Super Saturday clash with England.
An independent disciplinary committee deemed that the offence was a mid-range one, with the ban starting at six weeks, but the mitigating factors meant the suspension was reduced by 50%.
He is officially suspended from February 7, 2021 to March 14, 2021, which represents three meaningful matches to the player, before being free to play again on March 15, 2021.
Ireland conclude their 2021 Guinness Six Nations campaign by welcoming England to the Aviva Stadium on March 20, 2021.
