Scotstown’s abandoned Ulster football semi-final with Derry champions Newbridge has been refixed for Armagh’s Box-It Athletic Grounds next Sunday, November 30th at 4pm.
The Monaghan champions were four ahead, 1-4 to 0-3, at half-time when referee Joe McQuillan called off the match at Healy Park because of safety concerns caused by continuing rainfall. As a result, the provincial final also shifts from December 7th to Saturday, December 13th.
There had been reservations about the pitch in Omagh, which is seen as particularly vulnerable to bad weather. A curtain raiser, the Carrickmacross-Glenullin Ulster intermediate semi-final, was played before the senior match and ended up going to extra-time.
A question arose about the status of Scotstown defender Ryan O’Toole, who was suspended after being red-carded in the quarter-final against Donegal champions Naomh Conaill. Would the abandoned match count for the purposes of the one-match suspension?
RM Block
Initial indications suggest that the Monaghan player will be eligible to play. “Our information is that a player can serve a suspension in an abandoned match,” said one official. “This looks to be governed by precedent. In 2012, Mayo played Dublin in a league fixture that was abandoned because of fog. Dublin’s Eamon Fennell missed that match but was able to play in the next round.”
Records show that Fennell, an All-Ireland winning centrefielder, did not line out in Castlebar in February but three weeks later, he played against Laois. Conversely, James McCarthy, who was sent off in Castlebar, did have to serve a suspension for the following fixture and did not feature in Portlaoise.
