NEWCASTLE’S Roy O’Donovan has been slapped with the second longest ban in A-League history for his karate-style kick on Lawrence Thomas during the A-League Grand Final.

The incident occurred in the dying minutes of the Grand Final clash between the Jets and the Victory, when O’Donovan lunged at a lofted ball into the box, and caught Victory keeper Lawrence Thomas with his high boot.

The FFA determined that O’Donovan should serve a 10-match ban for Hyundai A-League matches and/or FFA Cup matches.

The review panel indicated that the Newcastle forward had committed the offence of “serious foul play (e.g. when challenging for the ball)”.

O’Donovan has seven days to launch an appeal against the ban if he intends to do so.

O’Donovan pleaded his case via video link from his native Ireland, claiming his vision was blurred after copping a stray elbow from Victory’s Besart Berisha earlier during the match.

The striker added that he didn’t realise he’d made contact with Thomas’ head until he approached him to apologise after the match.

O’Donovan’s representation conceded that his headhigh lunge into Thomas’ face was indeed “careless” and “reckless”, but argued O’Donovan was attempting to make a genuine play for the ball as part of an attempt to equalise.

Despite a three-hour long hearing, the disciplinary committee wasn’t O’Donovan’s appeals, concluding that the “Hail Mary attempt” has endangered Thomas regardless of the intent.

It’s not the first time the 32-year has had the book thrown at him during his time in the A-League.

In the 2015/16 A-League season, he was slapped with an eight-week ban for an ugly headbutt on Wellington’s Manny Muscat.

He also served a two-match ban in March after being caught by the video referee striking Sydney FC’s Jordy Buijs in the face during his side’s defeat of the Premiers.

His most recent challenge which saw the Newcastle forward red-carded and ultimately banned has caused some debate, with some suggesting that he was simply trying to win the ball in the dying moments of a Grand Final.

Although the ban was pretty hefty for the Irishman, it doesn’t come close to the severity of Danny Vukovic’s offence in 2008 where he struck a referee during a game.

Vukovic was banned for 12 months with 3 months suspended, which still stands as an A — League record.