NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE:THE GAA'S Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) has refixed Dublin's Allianz National Football League round five match against Armagh for Sunday week, April 13th, with a 2.30pm throw-in at Crossmaglen. This follows last Sunday's controversial decision to postpone the Division Two tie just an hour before the scheduled throw-in due to a waterlogged pitch.
It was also decided to refix the Division Three game between Down and Limerick, also postponed last weekend, to Newry on the same date, also with a 2.30pm start.
As a result, the seventh and final round of matches in both Divisions Two and Three have been put back a week, and will now take place on Sunday, April 20th.
The final round of matches of Division One and Four remain fixed for Sunday, April 13th. This is in keeping with the CCCC's preference to stage all the concluding matches across a division on the same day.
Dublin and Armagh had provisionally agreed to refix the game for Wednesday week, with a 6.30pm start in Crossmaglen, but this wasn't approved by the CCCC on a number of grounds, including the difficulty it would present to the travelling Dublin supporters, and that the Crossmaglen pitch doesn't have suitable floodlighting.
But because of this rescheduling, it may yet be necessary to play the Division Two football final a week later. As things stand, the finals in Division One, Two, Three and Four will go ahead as scheduled on April 27th, unless there is a need for a play-off in Division Two, in accordance with Rule 116 (c) of the Official Guide.
As Cork's two opening games in the division were deemed walkovers because of the players' strike, scoring difference can't be used in determining Cork's final position for purposes of relegation or promotion, as was recently the case in the hurling league. In the event that a play-off is required, it will be played on Sunday, April 27th, and the Division Two final will then take place on the weekend of May 3rd.
Following Sunday's postponement in Crossmaglen, it was also announced that the refixture would be free admission, as cash had been taken at the stiles, and refunds therefore weren't feasible. In clarifying this situation, the CCCC announced that the match would be an all-ticket event, with the tickets distributed through the participating counties only, although with no charge for these tickets.
While Dublin County Board secretary John Costello agreed to the rescheduling, it could yet affect the opening round of the county football championship.
"We do accept the decision of the CCCC," Costello said, "although it does pose some problems for us. Our schedule of local senior championship matches are due to commence the week after the original date of the final round of matches, April 13th, and we will have to readjust that now.
"But clearly the CCCC had some concerns about the midweek evening fixture at Crossmaglen, that patrons who had paid in the first day wouldn't be able to make it, and fading light.
"We are still expecting it to be free admission, although I believe that is a matter for the GAA finance committee."
Round six of Division One, Two and Three take place as scheduled this weekend, plus round seven in division four.
The CCCC also confirmed yesterday that they last week dealt with the incident involving the Dublin backroom member and Monaghan forward Thomas Freeman at the end of their clash in Parnell Park last Sunday week.
The Dublin County Board had forwarded the identity of the person involved, and the CCCC imposed a four-month suspension which the individual involved did not appeal.
