Down manager Jimmy O'Reilly will miss Murray's play

Murray was cited for striking out with his hurl in the NHL opener against Antrim on 23 Feburary.

It is a massive set-back for Jimmy O'Reilly's Down side after the GAC handed out the hefty suspension following video evidence.

Initially, Murray's colleague Liam Clarke was red-carded.

However, he was subsequently exonerated after the GAC reviewed a video of the game which revealed Dublin referee Aodan MacSuibhne had sent off the wrong player.

The ban, which took effect from Murray's last game against Kildare last Sunday, rules him out of the remainder of the NHL campaign and the Ulster semi-final against either London or Antrrim on 18 May.

Down do not have an NHL game this weekend but both Derry and Antrim will be in action.

To put it mildly, Derry will be up against it in Sunday's game against Tipperary at Dungiven.

Derry hurling boss Dominic McKinley

Tipp hammered the Oak Leafers 5-23 to 0-3 last season and with Cork dishing out a fearful beating to Dominic McKinley's side last weekend, Derry will be expecting the worst.

Emmett McKeever is again expected to be ruled out for Derry after missing the Cork game through injury.

With Benny Ward still out because of a broken finger, Dungiven man Kevin Hinphey will start at right half-back.

Another Dungiven man, Pauric Murphy will partner Michael Conway at midfield while Danny McGrellis and John O'Dwyer will return to the attack after missing the defeat in Cork.

The Biggs brothers, Gregory and Gary, are again ruled out for Derry because of injury.

Tipperary have left out Brendan Cummins, John Devane, Eamon Corcoran, Tommy Dunne, Mark O'Leary and Brian O'Meara but still will prove far too strong for Derry.

Antrim, meanwhile, will be expected to take the two points in Sunday's Division 2A game at Mullingar.

The Saffrons won their top opening games and will again be without their Dunloy contingent.

Derry: K Stevenson, P McVeigh, G Brunton, AN Other, K Hinphey, D Magill, P O'Kane, M Conway, P Murphy, P Cartin, O Collins, R Kennedy, D McGrellis, J O'Dwyer.

Antrim: DD Quinn, B McAuley, K Kelly, C Turley, M McCambridge, J Campbell, C Herron, P Gillen, K McKeegan, P Close, R McNaughton, J Boyle, D McAuley, L Watson, S Delargy.

Allianz NHL (Sunday 1530 GMT unless stated)
Division 1A
Pearse Stadium: Galway v Waterford
Nowlan Park: Kilkenny v Clare
Parnell Park: Dublin v Laois
Division 1B
Wexford Park: Wexford v Limerick
Birr (Saturday 1530): Offaly v Cork
Dungiven (1330): Derry v Tipperary
Division 2A
Tralee (Sat 1600): Kerry v Wicklow
Fay Park: Longford v Meath
Division 3A
Athletic Grounds: Armagh v Leitrim
Letterkenny: Donegal v Mayo
Division 3B
Duffy Park: Monaghan v Louth
Omagh: Tyrone v Fermanagh