Disgraceful decision by the IFA, unfair on Donegal Celtic

Gaoth Dobhair Abu · May 05, 2009, 07:38:38 PM

Thought that Tony would have picked up on this disgrace by the IFA!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/irish/8033369.stm

IFA says play-off will go ahead

DC chairman Raymond Bonner believes his club should have bene promoted
The IFA has said that the two-leg promotion/relegation play-off between Dungannon Swifts and Donegal Celtic will go ahead as planned this week.

The first leg will be played at Suffolk Road on Tuesday evening, with the second leg at Stangmore Park on Friday.

DC had appealed the decision to play the game as they believed Dungannon should be automatically relegated after finishing bottom of the Premiership.

The IFA say they have been in contact with DC to explain their decision.

"The Association received a faxed copy of an appeal submitted by Donegal Celtic in relation to the IFA Premiership promotion/relegation play off," said the IFA, in a statement released on its website.

"Donegal Celtic wished to appeal against the decision made by the IFA Premiership Interim Board regarding the promotion/relegation play off, a decision made following the withdrawal of Bangor FC from the Domestic Club Licensing scheme for season 2009/10 which would prevent them from playing in the IFA Premiership next season.

"With this knowledge in mind the IFA Premiership Interim Board met on Monday 2 February 2009 to put in place a process to ensure that there would be a full complement of teams to play in the IFA Premiership next season.

"In doing so they exercised the powers available to them under rule 62 of the rules of the IFA Premiership and circulated the details to all clubs affected by this decision in both the IFA Premiership and IFA Championship.

"Any such appeal against this decision would have been required to be submitted within four days of this decision and as this was not the case the time for same has now lapsed.

"The Association has been in contact with officials from Donegal Celtic to explain the situation and to confirm that the promotion/relegation play off between Donegal Celtic and Dungannon Swifts will go ahead as scheduled this week on Tuesday (5th May) at Donegal Celtic Park and Friday (8th May) at Stangmore Park."

The Swifts finished bottom of the league but Bangor have been relegated as they did not apply to re-join.

DC finished second in the Championship.

The West Belfast club believed that Dungannon should be automatically relegated and they could only face a play-off against the club which finished second bottom.

As that was Bangor, who are dropping out of the top-flight due to financial reasons, DC felt they should go up.

The rules at the start of the the JJB Sports Premiership season stated that the team finishing last would be relegated, with their place taken by the Championship winners, who were Portadown.

The second bottom team would face a promotion/relegation play-off against the Championship runners-up.

But after Bangor's decision to move down to the Championship, the IFA ruled that team finishing last would not be automatically relegated but instead face a play-off against the second team in the Championship.

Gaoth Dobhair Abu · May 05, 2009, 08:16:12 PM

Go on the West Belfast Hoops!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/irish/8034905.stm

Latest: JJB Premiership play-off
Promotion/relegation play-off

First leg - 1945 BST kick-off

DONEGAL CELTIC 1
Lyons 9
DUNGANNON SWIFTS 0

anportmorforjfc · May 05, 2009, 08:41:18 PM

do away goals count?

Tony Baloney · May 05, 2009, 08:46:54 PM

Quote from: anportmorforjfc on May 05, 2009, 08:41:18 PM
do away goals count?

The IFA will wait and see if Swifts score one before deciding!

Orior · May 05, 2009, 09:13:39 PM

Suffolk saccer boyz 1 - 1 Tyrone hallions

Tony Baloney · May 05, 2009, 09:22:11 PM

Thon's not so good.

Gaoth Dobhair Abu · May 05, 2009, 09:34:01 PM

Way hey...

Latest: JJB Premiership play-off
Promotion/relegation play-off

First leg - 1945 BST kick-off

DONEGAL CELTIC 2
Lyons 9, McDonald 87
DUNGANNON SWIFTS 1
Adamson 50

Orior · May 05, 2009, 09:34:32 PM

I'd be interested in knowing how many spectators

saffron sam2 · May 06, 2009, 08:40:53 AM

For years Donegal (and Lurgan) Celtic tried to gain acceptance into the old B division. For years they were knocked back by the almost en-masse voting of the B division clubs (with the exceptions of the University, Polytechnic and RUC teams). Eventually both clubs threatened legal action and were admitted to the Irish league. However, in a surpirse change of format relegation was introduced into the second tier of the football pyramid, thereby allowing the possibility of these two teams being relegated back to where they came from.

Surprisingly DC made in into the top division and results on the pitch ensured they remained there. Next the IFA decide to reduce the top division from 16 to 12 teams (with no promotion back into the top level for three years). Halfway through the season they decide to change the 'points' system for eligibility. Whilst DC would have made the top twelve on footballing points obtained, they didn't achieve enough 'points' and were excluded. Subsequently, and with Portadown also down, the IFA changed the rules regarding promotion and relegation.

This season when it became clear that Bangor were in financial difficulties, despite a reasonably healthy league position, the rules appear to have been changed again. It should also be pointed out that the only two teams that could have gained promotion were Portadown and DC because of IFA licensing regulations.

Whilst we will have posters come on here and justify each and every one of the above decisions, it is easy to see why DC would consider that they are being unfairly treated.

T Fearon · May 06, 2009, 10:16:29 AM

Whole thing is a joke. How could it be anything else when the IFA is involved?. I have long been of the opinion that Cliftonville, DC Newry etc would fare much better in the Eircom League. I Hope both Donegal Celtic (Friday night) and Glasgow Celtic(Saturday lunch time) and indeed Cliftonville (Saturday afternoon) make it a wonderful 24 hours this weekend. Though Dungannon Swifts Manager Dixie Robinson is one of the biggest Glasgow Celtic fans on the planet (his auld fella has been a member of the Celtic supporters club in our area for decades and regularly saw the Lisbon Lions play).

According to the Irish News to-day there was a "pitifully low attendance" last night. Another brainwave to fix this this clash with a Champions League semi final

Wonder will there be any "repercussions" at the IFA Cup Final (Cliftonville V Crusaders )on Saturday, kicking off at 2.30pm (perhaps literally!!) as a result of the outcome of the Old Firm game in Glasgow which will finish at 2.15pm approx?

Minder · May 06, 2009, 10:19:59 AM

Quote from: T Fearon on May 06, 2009, 10:16:29 AM
Whole thing is a joke. How could it be anything else when the IFA is involved?. I have long been of the opinion that Cliftonville, DC Newry etc would fare much better in the Eircom League. I Hope both Donegal Celtic (Friday night) and Glasgow Celtic(Saturday lunch time) and indeed Cliftonville (Saturday afternoon) make it a wonderful 24 hours this weekend. Though Dungannon Swifts Manager Dixie Robinson is one of the biggest Glasgow Celtic fans on the planet (his auld fella has been a member of the Celtic supporters club in our area for decades and regularly saw the Lisbon Lions play).

According to the Irish News to-day there was a "pitifully low attendance" last night. Another brainwave to fix this this clash with a Champions League semi final

Wonder will there be any "repercussions" at the IFA Cup Final (Cliftonville V Crusaders )on Saturday, kicking off at 2.30pm (perhaps literally!!) as a result of the outcome of the Old Firm game in Glasgow which will finish at 2.15pm approx?

Well it shows where the their loyalties lay, watching a Champions League game as opposed to the first leg of their biggest tie of the season.

T Fearon · May 06, 2009, 11:11:15 AM

Indeed it does. As the average attendance of both clubs is about 200 each, I am guessing that those loyal fans all turned out last night. But in terms of attracting the fairweather fans and neutrals, it was a brainwave to fix this game to coincide with a Champions League semi final.

nifan · May 06, 2009, 11:20:48 AM

Yeah tony - CL semi between 2 well supported teams - the IFA have form for such stupidity too - in 1989 they arranged a meaningless friendly with chile on the night of the massive title decider between Liverpool and Arsenal. 25000 turned up. Eejits.

saffron sam2 · May 06, 2009, 11:33:25 AM

Quote from: nifan on May 06, 2009, 11:20:48 AM
Yeah tony - CL semi between 2 well supported teams - the IFA have form for such stupidity too - in 1989 they arranged a meaningless friendly with chile on the night of the massive title decider between Liverpool and Arsenal. 25000 turned up. Eejits.

Should try that more often if they're getting crowds like that.

GAA has form for it too. Derry vs. Donegal championship match fixed to coincide with a free state game in Japan / Korea. 6 people turn up for the Gaelic.

nifan · May 06, 2009, 11:35:30 AM

oops - 2,500