WATERFORD UNITED last night failed to have their Premier Division promotion/relegation tie against Dundalk rescheduled by the National League.

They claimed Duridalk's 3-1 aggregate win should be set aside and the tie replayed because of alleged irregularities about Jeff McNamara's transfer from Linfield to Dundalk 24 hours before the first game at Oriel Park.

But the five-man protest committee, comprised of top National League officials, ruled that the documentation for McNamara's clearance was in order and that his transfer from one jurisdiction to another had been made according to rule.

Further they rejected claims by Waterford that McNamara was not in fact an amateur player, ruling that there was no evidence to support Waterford's claim to the contrary.

The verdict was greeted enthusiastically by Dundalk who said that it vindicated their opinion that they did not have a case to answer.

"There was no question of us ever acting outside the rule book," said a spokesman. "We were fully satisfied before we selected Jeff McNamara in our team that his clearance was in order. Otherwise we would not have played him."

Waterford predictably were less enamoured with the outcome and they may now decide to bring their appeal to an FAI Commission.

Nigel Winterburn survived a bomb hoax, a male streaker dressed in a Rangers flag and a highly-dubious Paul Gascoigne goal to collect a £250,000 bonanza from a 20,022 crowd at his Arsenal testimonial last night. The game ended in a 3-3 draw.