Inishowen rugby dream dashed
at Ravenhill
22.04.08
by
Damian Dowds, Inishowen Independent, at Ravenhill
INISHOWEN'S dreams of winning the Forster Cup
outright were dashed on Saturday when they lost 16-0 to
Academy Seconds at Ravenhill, Ulster rugby’s
headquarters.
However, Inishowen have lodged an appeal against Academy
who are understood to have fielded a number of
ineligible players from their first team. Academy’s
first team plays in Ulster Qualifying League 2 – five
divisions above their second team.
Inishowen beat Academy’s Seconds 37-0 in the league
earlier this season, but the Belfast-based team, beefed
up with senior players, turned the tables in Saturday’s
final. |
Inishowen team captain
Shaun Craig said it was a disappointing outcome to the
biggest game of the season. “It makes a mockery of the
effort, time and commitment put in by our players and
management,” he said. “Academy knew what they were doing
but it beggars belief that they were so blatant about
it.”
The Ulster Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union was
due to meet in emergency session to discuss the appeal
in Belfast last night. “The penalty could range all the
way from no action to a reversal of the result and a
fine for the offending team,” said Ulster Branch
spokesman David Boyd. “All the circumstances will be
taken into account and we will also have to consider
relevant precedents. If the committee decides it is not
the appropriate body to deal with the appeal, it may be
referred to Tuesday night’s scheduled meeting of the
full Ulster Branch.”
Craig, who failed a fitness test on the morning of the
final and was unable to line out with his teammates,
said that while Inishowen did not want to claim the
title in the committee room, they had no option but to
protest. |
 |
“We have had similar
concerns in previous finals where the strength of teams
bore no relation to the same team when we played them in
the league. But we researched our opponents this year to
ensure that they only played legitimate players,” he
said.
He also expressed disappointment for the team’s many
supporters who made the 190-mile round trip to Ravenhill.
“Our supporters travelled there in the expectation of a
fair game, but they didn’t get that. They paid good
money and I’m very disappointed that they didn’t get
fair play,” Craig said. “It is very difficult to promote
the game when something like this happens.”
Eligibility rules have bedevilled rugby in recent
seasons and Ulster Branch has been working hard this
year to tighten them up.
Inishowen informed the referee and Branch officials of
their concerns about a number of Academy players listed
on the teamsheet prior to kick-off. However, they were
told that no action could be taken until the players
actually played.
Having won the match 16-0, the Academy captain was
presented with the cup and the players all received
winners’ medals. Ulster Branch officials explained that
they had to do so at it would require a full meeting of
the committee to decide on the eligibility or otherwise
of their players.
“It will be a hollow kind of victory to have the cup
sent to us in the post,” Craig said. “If we’re awarded
the cup we will offer to play the losers of the other
semi-final. We want to get the chance to win the cup on
the pitch.”
A further headache for the Inishowen team is the fact
that Saturday’s final was a double header with two
league points also on offer. Ulster Branch confirmed
that the outcome of the disciplinary meeting would be
applied in both the cup and league competitions.
For full coverage of all your weekend sport, read the
Inishowen Independent. |
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