Carlow IT Fitzgibbon Cup appeal drags on

Uncertainty hung over the Fitzgibbon Cup last night as IT Carlow’s appeal dragged into the early hours.

IT Carlow lodged their appeal to the Central Appeals Committee yesterday afternoon and were summoned before the CAC at 7pm.

The four colleges involved in today’s rescheduled quarter-finals — Dublin IT, Mary Immaculate, Limerick IT and Waterford IT — had received no confirmation, at the time of going to press, that the two fixtures were going ahead.

A spokesperson for Comhairle Ardoideachais (CA) said all relevant parties would be notified on the playing of today’s games once the CAC had arrived at a verdict.

A statement released yesterday on behalf of the IT Carlow GAA club expressed their desire not to delay the competition.

“The appeal is being lodged today, one day ahead of the deadline, in order to minimise disruption to the competition. The Fitzgibbon Cup is a very prestigious competition and one that all third-level hurlers aspire to play in. In the interest of all remaining teams in the Fitzgibbon Cup, IT Carlow hurling club hopes the matter will be resolved as quickly as possible.”

IT Carlow were thrown out of the Fitzgibbon Cup on Monday, the CA Hearings Committee ruling corner-back James Gannon — a part-time Business student at the college — was ineligible for DJ Carey’s side under CA bye-laws. The complaint surrounding Gannon’s eligibility was lodged by Mary I, Eamonn Cregan’s side knocked out of the competition by IT Carlow.

IT Carlow’s expulsion from the Fitzgibbon is the second eligibility row to overshadow this year’s third-level competitions. IT Sligo and QUB were both thrown out of the Sigerson Cup for fielding ineligible players, with both reinstated on appeal to the CAC.