Tyrone handed Wee County test in qualifier series
Yesterday’s Ulster championship losers Down have the task of regrouping for their home tie against Sligo while Carlow boss Liam Hayes is pitted against his native Meath.
Westmeath are at home to London and Waterford host Longford. Monaghan have been given a home tie against Wicklow, Antrim will host Clare while Cavan face a trip to tackle either Offaly or Kildare.
There had been a doubt over the draw because of the blood substitution controversy over Offaly’s victory over Kildare in the Leinster Championship last weekend.
The Leinster Council ratified Offaly’s victory on Saturday but Kildare County Board has declared its intent to fight its corner in the continuing dispute in relation to the so-called “six subs controversy”, following an emergency meeting of its officers on Saturday night.
The board had been mandated by club delegates at a specially-convened meeting last Tuesday to appeal any decision against a ruling that declared that Offaly had only used five subs in the Leinster SFC quarter final between the sides the previous Sunday.
It had been expected, however, that Central Council would make a ruling and that the appeal would go to the Disputes Resolutions Authority.
However, once Central Council referred the matter back to Leinster Council, who adopted referee Michael Hughes’s report, the option opened up for Kildare to appeal to the Central Appeals Committee. This option will now be taken up.
“If they leave it as it is, they’re more or less giving teams carte blanche to put on any amount of subs,” one county insider said yesterday.
Kildare remain adamant that Offaly used six subs, with Pascal Kellaghan coming back on for Trevor Phelan, having been replaced by James Coughlan for a blood injury. Coughlan remained on the field from the time of his “temporary” introduction.
It is Offaly’s contention this amounts to one permanent substitution, while Kildare argue that it was two.
Meanwhile both Ulster SFC semi finals have been fixed for Clones this month.
The decision was taken at a special meeting in Enniskillen on Saturday.
The first semi final between Armagh and Fermanagh will be played in Clones on Sunday, with the second semi final between Derry and Donegal taking place on June 18.
