Tiernan McCann has eight-week ban lifted and the reaction has not been kind

Tiernan McCann is free to play in this weekend's All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry.

It always seemed like the GAA was making a statement. McCann dived in plain view of the TV cameras and had to take a rap on the knuckles. So it proved, in the early hours of this morning. The Tyrone forward had his proposed eight-week ban, for discrediting the GAA, lifted by the Central Hearings Committee and can line out against The Kingdom on Sunday. The farrago was sparked by McCann hitting the deck after Monaghan's Darren Hughes had ruffled his hair in Tyrone's SFC quarter-final. It ended well shortly after 1am, after the CHC delivered a dressing down to McCann and listened to a strong defence of the player. There was another successful appeal as Mayo's Kevin Keane had his red card - received for striking Donegal's Michael Murphy - downgraded to a yellow. He is now free to face Dublin in his county's semi. Upon hearing the news that McCann would not be banned until the end of the championship, many GAA fans, and correspondents, took to Twitter to give their reaction. While some maintained that McCann had been in the wrong, most were unhappy with the lengthy, late-night process. https://twitter.com/TomasColton/status/634155731915276288 https://twitter.com/Antoinfletch/status/634165676819775488 https://twitter.com/hill16bhoy/status/634172762756661248 https://twitter.com/lauritablewitt/status/634121554331353088