Sfc objection may see ballinaghmullahoran match called off

Paul Fitzpatrick

The SFC clash between Mullahoran and Ballinagh scheduled for this Sunday evening at Breffni Park may not go ahead after Castlerahan dramatically appealed the result of their qualifier match against the Dreadnoughts.

Sources close to the county board have confirmed today (Thursday) that it is unlikely the next round will go ahead on Sunday. The CCC will meet in the next 24 hours to consider the objection and, should it be thrown out, it is likely Castlerahan will appeal further.

The Ulster Council would be unable to meet until Saturday should the matter go that far.

Club officials are determined to pursue all avenues, it is understood, in an effort to overturn the result. The Castlerahan senior panel met last night and are in favour of the objection, it is believed.

Castlerahan lost the match by a point, having been leading by one late in the first half of extra time when the floodlights failed.

When the match restarted 20 minutes later, referee Tony Gregory threw in the ball to commence the second half of extra time. Castlerahan claim that “less than eight minutes” was played in the first period of extra time, which forms the basis for their objection.

“The clock, I think, said 9 min 40 gone and I thought that was the time that was played in the first half and you would have let it go. But since then we’ve found out that the clock ran on and that it was actually less than eight minutes when it was blown up for half-time,” Castlerahan manager Kevin McDonnell told The Anglo-Celt on Monday.

“I would expect Mullahoran to object if they thought that there was two minutes not played and they had lost... We’re not being unreasonable, I don’t like objections but two minutes is a lot of time in Gaelic football and there could have been a lot of time on top of that for extra time as well.”

 “Cavan GAA don’t have an issue with anybody appealing anything, if they feel that they were done wrong by, they are entitled to appeal. That’s the entitlement, I wouldn’t stand in anyone’s way,” stated Cavan county board secretary Liam McCabe.

“If somebody tells us we were wrong, then we were wrong, end of story.”

Curiously, the fixtures released by the CCC this morning have Mullahoran v Ballinagh scheduled for Sunday evening, but no officials have been appointed. Referees and linesmen have been listed for the eight other matches down for decision.