HOCKEY:ANNADALE HOCKEY Club's bite is as good as its bark. When we thought they'd simply agreed to the IHA's decision to make them play a weather-hit match against Cookstown from scratch after it had been abandoned in the third quarter with Annadale leading 4-1, we thought, oh well.
In fact Annadale, who face Lisnagarvey at Hillsborough in the Irish Senior Cup this weekend, considered the decision of the Irish Hockey Association Appeals Commission issued on 19th January and thought that they were not having any of it.
Under the IHA Constitution the club had the right to further appeal to Just Sport Ireland under their dispute resolution service and that’s what they considered doing.
Just Sport Ireland was established by the Federation of Irish Sports in response to the increasing prevalence of sporting litigation and the recognition that the courts are not the appropriate forum for the resolution of such disputes. It is an independent, specialised dispute resolution service that offers both a mediation and arbitration facility.
However, appealing the decision, according to an IHL statement, “could be time consuming . . . potentially disruptive to the IHL match programme and more importantly detrimental not only to the IHL but also to the image of Irish Hockey.”
The IHA management board has subsequently approved and endorsed the following proposal, from Annadale. The IHA will undertake, “as a matter of priority, a review of all Irish competition rules, in full consultation with Clubs. Annadale will make no further appeal in this case and the decision of the Appeals Commission issued on 19th January 2009 is acknowledged”.
Irish hockey and especially those clubs that play in the IHL, it seems, owes a debt to Annadale. The rules which the Belfast team argued were not in place to govern their situation, will now be revised, or inserted, or made clear and done so in consultation with the clubs.
Meanwhile, match of the weekend is Cork C of I’s meeting with Pembroke Wanderers at Garryduff, while Three Rock Rovers have a tricky away assignment to Bangor but should have the goods to secure a third-round place. It could be another weather-hit weekend, which may well serve to bring Annadale’s crusade into greater focus.
WEEKEND FIXTURES: Saturday: Irish Senior Cup Round Two: Mossley v NICS, The Glade, 2.30; Corinthians v Railway Union, Whitechurch, 1.0; Lisnagarvey v Annadale, Hillsborough, 2.30; Bangor v Three Rock Rovers, Bangor, 2.30; North Down v Glenanne, Comber, 2.30; Cork C of I v Pembroke, Garryduff, 2.30; Fingal v Cookstown, ALSAA, 1.30; Raphoe v Banbridge, Royal and Prior, 2.30. Sunday: Indoor League - The Tony Byrne Cup: Group One: Corinthians v Dublin University, 9.20am; Three Rock Rovers v Kilkenny, 10.10am; Kilkenny v Glenanne, 11.50am; Corinthian v Glenanne, 1.30pm. Group Two: YMCA v Avoca, 8.30am; Pembroke Wanderers v Avoca, 11am; Railway Union v Monkstown, 12.40pm. Semi-finals: Winner Group One v Runner-up Group Two, 4.50pm; Winner Group Two v Runner-Up Group One; Final: 7pm.
