Galway's Conor Whelan willing to serve his penance against Limerick after seeing red in league game against Dublin

Galway captain Conor Whelan has admitted that missing Saturday's top of the table NHL clash with Limerick is a blow and a significant 'penance'.

The All-Star attacker will sit out the Salthill encounter, along with Daithí Burke, having both picked up straight red cards in last weekend's defeat of Dublin.

Whelan was ordered off by referee Johnny Murphy for lashing out with the hurl at Dublin full-back Paddy Smyth.

Boss Henry Shefflin suggested afterwards that Whelan may have received 'punishment' in the game and the Kilkenny great queried the level of protection afforded to his forward.

But speaking at the launch of Insomnia's five-year partnership with the GAA and GPA, Whelan declined to blame anyone else for the rare show of petulance.

"No, I just think, personally speaking, it's my responsibility," said Whelan. "It's the learning you take from it.

"When you're playing sport, sometimes it goes for you and sometimes it doesn't. Upon reflection, I probably would have handled it differently. I'm serving my penance for that."

Whelan, regarded as one of the classiest forwards in the game, shrugged at the suggestion that it was unlike him to act as he did.

"It probably just boiled over a little bit," he said. "Yeah, I'm serving my penance now. It's a massive game and test for the group. You're coming up against the league champions, the All-Ireland champions, Munster champions. It's definitely one you'd like to be playing."

Limerick are currently top of Division 1B with a perfect record after four games while Galway and Tipperary are locked on six points behind the All-Ireland champions.

So whoever wins at Pearse Stadium tomorrow will be guaranteed a semi-final place. The question is, do Galway want an extra game with the championship