Steelstown Brian Ogs out of Ulster Championship as LGFA issue strong rebuttal to Derry club

Steelstown Brian Og’s hopes that they would be able reschedule their ill-fated Ulster Championship semi-final have been ended with the Ulster LGFA issuing a strong rebuttal to events over the past few days whilst confirming that the final will go ahead this weekend between between Castlerahan/Denn and Derrygonnolly.

An already tense situation escalated on Wednesday evening when Steelstown, already on their way to Cavan for their semi-final, decided to turn their bus around when news came through that of a pitch change to a 3G venue. With no player having the required footwear for a 3G surface, it was deemed impossible for the Derry side to complete the fixture.

The situation worsened when opponents Castlerahan and the match official took pictures at the Templeport pitch at throw-in time, despite knowing Steelstown were not making the journey.

Yesterday, the Derry LGFA released a statement appealing to the Ulster Committee, slamming the move by Castlerahan as ‘deeply hurtful and insenstive’, and appealing for the governing body to ‘reflect on the unrealistic expectations’ placed on Steelstown in the past two weeks.

However, the Ulster LGFA have hit back strongly this morning claiming that the Derry club were informed and agreed with every step of the fixture congestion in the past two weeks and outlined their version of events which happened on Wednesday with regards the semi-final.

“At the Ulster Executive meeting on Tuesday 1st November 2022 the Ulster Fixtures Secretary provided clear and definitive information on the arrangements for the Semi Final fixture between Castlerahan/Denn and Steelstown to take place on Wednesday 2nd November 2022.

This plan was communicated as follows:

1. A pitch inspection would be held at Templeport GAC on Wednesday 2nd November, as early as possible, bearing in mind the poor weather forecast for the day.

2. In the likelihood of inclement weather, and the need for a change of venue, a back-up pitch had been secured. This was clearly communicated as the 3G pitch at Kingspan Breffni on several occasions.

A pitch inspection took place at Templeport GAC at 10.00am, and again at 3.00pm, when it was deemed that the pitch was unplayable at that point.

At 3.24pm the Ulster Ladies Fixtures Secretary contacted both clubs by email to relay this information and initiate the back-up plan.

At 3.50pm, the Steelstown Secretary emailed the Ulster Ladies Fixtures Secretary to request a change of time to 8.00pm for the game, that the players had already left, and they weren’t aware that the back-up venue was a 3G pitch. This is in direct contradiction to the information which had been relayed to all parties at the meeting on Tuesday 1st November. The request for an 8.00pm start time was sent to Castlerahan/Denn for agreement, and the match officials subsequently informed.

At 4.23pm, the Ulster Fixtures Secretary received a phone call from the Steelstown Chairperson, who advised that the club’s players would not be playing on the 3G pitch as they were not made aware of it in advance, and all had left with boots for a grass pitch. He stated that Ulster LGFA needed to supply a grass pitch for the fixture or there would be no game. The Ulster Fixtures Secretary reiterated the agreed upon back-up plan from the meeting held on 1st November and that the game would go ahead at 8.00pm as planned.

At 5.14pm the Secretary of Steelstown emailed the Ulster Fixtures Secretary to say that they were no longer continuing their journey.

At 6.47pm, the Ulster Ladies Fixtures Secretary sent an e-mail to the Steelstown Secretary asking for confirmation that Steelstown were not fulfilling the fixture on Wednesday 2nd November 2022. This correspondence was not replied to.

At 7.37pm, the Steelstown Chairperson sent an e-mail stating that the club never received information regarding the playing surface communicated to them in writing.

Ulster LGFA refers to rule 303 of the Official Guide: ‘Where a Club or County has delegates at a fixtures meeting, such Club or County shall be deemed to have received official notification of decisions made.’

Consequently, a vote was taken at an Emergency Ulster LGFA Council meeting last night, 3rd November, to award the fixture to Castlerahan/Denn. Delegates voted unanimously in favour of this proposal.

Ulster LGFA will be making no further comment at this time.”

Steelstown Brian Ogs are expected to make a response later today.