Irish Junior Cup final: Four-time winners kicked out after IFA hearing on little known rule

Enniskillen Rangers have been stripped of their place in the fonaCAB Craig Stanfield Irish Junior Cup final at Windsor Park after an IFA hearing on Wednesday night.

The four-time winners of the blue riband competition beat Tummery Athletic 3-1 in the semi-final but the Tyrone club then lodged an appeal on the grounds that Rangers player Jordan McClure was involved with the matchday squad while he was suspended.

McClure played no part in the game but was present at the ground with the Rangers panel for a pre-match photo, which is not disputed by the Fermanagh club. That was no issue in Irish Junior Cup rules but the overarching IFA Disciplinary Code states that a suspension means a player or official is "not permitted to enter the dressing room area, the player’s tunnel, the technical area, the substitute’s bench, the area immediately surrounding the field of play or the playing surface at any match played under the jurisdiction of the Association during the period stipulated in Article 15.9.1.”

Read more: Irish Junior Cup final disarray as four-time winners face IFA hearing over little-known rule

A hearing last night at IFA HQ involving both clubs has determined that the result be now overturned, and Tummery Athletic from Dromore in Co Tyrone proceed to the showpiece final instead on May 6. That decision is subject to an appeal and in previous years, when an appeal meant a delay to the May Day final, Windsor Park was then not available due to essential maintenance and other scheduling problems.

An IFA statement on the hearing last night explained: "Following a complaint of misconduct submitted by Tummery Athletic against Enniskillen Rangers player Jordan McClure, the Irish FA’s Disciplinary Committee issued a Notice of Complaint to Enniskillen Rangers in respect of the named player for an alleged breach of Article 22.1 of the IFA Disciplinary Code. Article 22.1 states: If any player participates in a match whilst being suspended or if any player breaches the terms of his suspension his club will be sanctioned with a fine (£350 for Junior teams).

"Enniskillen Rangers subsequently challenged the Notice of Complaint and the matter proceeded to a Notice of Complaint Challenge hearing yesterday evening. The Disciplinary Committee heard evidence from the respective parties and found the Article 22.1 breach to be proven.

"Furthermore, the Disciplinary Committee sanctioned Enniskillen Rangers with a £350 fine and additionally the club will forfeit the match by a score of 3-0 as also outlined in Article 22.1 of the IFA Disciplinary Code. Enniskillen Rangers have the right of appeal under Article 14 of the Articles of Association."

Beyond that possible appeal, the next step is to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for sport but that would likely come with huge legal fees and the losing side having to incur those costs.

Neither club was available for comment.

The Fermanagh and Western League's Mulhern Cup semi-final is set for tonight in Ballinamallard, featuring none other than Enniskillen Rangers and Tummery Athletic.

The Junior Cup final is set for May 6 at Windsor Park but that could well be pushed back now, if Rangers decide to appeal.

There is recent precedent for a delayed Junior Cup final and bizarrely the same two teams were also involved while a player set to feature in this year's final for Cleary Celtic was in the eye of the storm back then for another club.

Enniskillen Rangers won their third Junior Cup title in a row in 2019, beating Tummery in a delayed final at Ferney Park in Ballinamallard.

Rangers were beaten 3-1 in the semi-final by Bessbrook United, with former Irish League striker Declan Monaghan scoring twice for the Armagh side. Monaghan had played for Bessbrook for a number of years up to that stage in the Carnbane League but it transpired that it was the duty of the League to register players with the IFA and when the IFA Junior Cup final came around, Monaghan could not be found in the recently introduced Comet system where team lists are submitted.

Bessbrook fielded Monaghan, knowing that information, and their win was later scrapped on appeal, with Rangers proceeding to the final instead. Lengthy delays for that appeal process meant Windsor Park was no longer an option due for the blue riband final due to maintenance works. That meant Tummery, after weeks of waiting having won their own semi-final, were denied a run out at the National Stadium. Instead, the showpiece decider was played at Ferney Park in Ballinamallard, with Rangers winning 1-0 thanks to a Jason Keenan header.

If Tummery do now play in the 2024 Junior Cup final, they will come up against none other than Declan Monaghan who is now the star striker for another Armagh side Cleary Celtic. They beat Lincoln Courts in the other semi-final last month.

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