Doubt still hangs over SFC “B” as semi-final draws made

THE draws for the semi-finals of most of the adult football Offaly championships were made on Monday evening, including the senior “B”, where a doubt is still hanging over it.

In senior, champions Rhode face a repeat of last year's semi-final against Ferbane, where they just scraped through on a penalty shootout. Tullamore will be on high alert for their meeting with an Edenderry side who have not found their best form to date but are still alive and kicking.

Senior “B” football has thrown up two mouth watering derby games with Cappincur facing a mouth watering parish derby against Ballycommon while Clonbullogue meet Gracefield.

There is still a bit of a cloud hanging over that championship. Gracefield had contested their third place finish in group 2, claiming that the Offaly GAA championship regulations were not in order. New rules for applying scoring difference had seen them end in third place, Clonbullogue first and Ballycommon second. These rules were put in at national level and the Offaly GAA County Board highlighted the implications to clubs before the final round of group games but Gracefield still contested them.

Former County Board chairman Tommy Byrne is the chairman in Gracefield now and they first appealed unsuccessfully to Leinster Council. After losing there, they took their case to the Disputes Resolution Authority on Friday evening, seeking the postponement of Saturday's quarter-finals. The DRA ruled against them, saying they had not met the theshold for interim relief but stating that they were still entitled to a full hearing.

Gracefield performed well to beat Ballycumber on Saturday while Ballycommon had an expected comfortable win over Walsh Island. With their passage to the semi-finals secure, it had been hoped that Gracefield would let the matter lie but it is believed that they are still considering pursuing the case and availing of a full hearing.

While they are within their rights to take a case if they feel they have a genuine loss or grievance, the benefits or merit of doing so in this instance are not clearly obvious. They have already qualified for the semi-finals and even if they are successful in their case, the only real impact will be on Clonbullogue who might have to play a quarter-final that they shouldn't have to play and on Ballycumber who would get a second chance that they would neither seek or want. Not only that but if the semi-finals draw still stood, Gracefield would probably still end up playing Clonbullogue, who would be favourites to beat Ballycumber - that is if the full last round or entire championship did not have to be refixed.

That would be a drastic outcome but you never know what the implications would be if Gracefield were successful in the DRA and all of them would be a shame as the rule was there and they have not suffered any miscarriage of justice from it. It is in everybody's interest at this stage that the championship proceeds in a timely fashion and without disruption. Another factor is the time, cost and energy, DRA hearngs take up for the people who have to deal with them and when you take everything into account, it makes Gracefield's insistence on pursuing it so far very dubious.

In another twist, doubt also emerged over the weekend about the legality of Gracefield's Ruari Allen and Cappincur's Eoin Carroll. Both men have played earlier in the championship and also played games in Australia earlier in the year. Questions have been asked if they are entitled to play both but it is likely that they are in the clear to play. Both Cappincur and Gracefield will seek clarification to make sure but no one wants to see either player lose out on the big games left.

Philip O’Brien, representing the sponsors the Tullamore Court Hotel, attended Monday's draw with members of the Competitions Control Committee and the draw was broadcast live on Facebook from O'Connor Park. These are the pairings that emerged:

SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINALS

Tullamore v Edenderry

Rhode v Ferbane

SENIOR ‘B’ FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINALS

Clonbullogue v Gracefield

Cappincur v Ballycommon

INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINALS

Daingean v Tullamore

St Brigid’s v Erin Rovers

JUNIOR ‘A FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINALS

Doon v Edenderry

Clodiagh Gaels v Kilcormac-Killoughey