NIFL ask for some give and take as they turn down Irish Cup dates
NORTHERN Ireland Football League (NIFL) chairman Gerard Lawlor has insisted that the current dates set out to play the Irish Cup in May are ‘unacceptable’ to NIFL and their member clubs but there is hope that compromise can be reached with the IFA.
The matter was discussed last night at a NIFL Premier League Management Committee meeting, with Lawlor outlining that NIFL are awaiting answers on a proposal to the IFA with regards to a new Irish Cup schedule.
Last month the Belfast Telegraph revealed that the IFA Challenge Cup committee, headed by IFA President David Martin, had agreed to start this season’s competition on May 1, with the last-16 matches on May 8, the quarter-finals on May 11 and semi-finals on Monday, May 17, leading to the final on Friday, May 21.
Sunday Life Sport reported that the IFA were willing to switch the semi-final date to Tuesday, May 18 to accommodate league games, but top flight teams would prefer the Cup to be more spread out, starting in April, rather than over three weeks in May.
In recent weeks, five Championship clubs — Queen’s, Newry City, H & W Welders, Institute, and Ards — have pulled out of the competition leaving 27 teams in the first round draw.
NIFL chief Lawlor said: “The dates that were initially delivered by the IFA don’t work for NIFL. The IFA know our thoughts on those dates but we have to move on and try and find a solution.
“We can’t give up three weeks of league football, so we have given the IFA a proposal that we feel would work for both parties and we are waiting to hear back from them.
“Hopefully there can be a compromise and a flexibility to do what’s right for our clubs.
“There has to be a bit of give and take, and there is definitely a bit of give on NIFL’S side, but the first proposal that came out from the IFA is totally unacceptable to us and our member clubs.”
At the meeting, those representing all 12 top flight teams stated their intention to play 38 games in the Danske Bank Premiership this season, with NIFL already making contact with Uefa about playing matches, most likely the European playoffs, in June.
Meanwhile, Covid testing will continue for the rest of the season though all 12 sides will be asked to contribute to the funding of the scheme.
Clubs have received large sums from the NI Executive through the Sports Sustainability Fund.
STEPHEN Baxter refuses to be drawn into title talk after Crusaders moved up to third place in midweek, but he knows tonight’s game at the Coleraine Showgrounds will be massive.
The Bannsiders are four points ahead of their visitors in second place having played a game fewer, so Baxter knows they cannot afford to slip any further behind as the battle for a European spot intensifies.
The Crues boss, however, admits that Coleraine are now the in-form team — they are unbeaten in their last 14 games, winning 11, including a 2-1 success against Baxter’s side six weeks ago.
“They have been exceptional,” he said. “They had a bad start to the season after a tough European campaign but now they have bounced back with incredible form — they and Glentoran have been the two stand-out teams in recent days.
“It’s always a tough place for us to go, though we were a hair’s breadth from drawing last time as they got a last-gasp winner. So we have to take it in our stride and look forward to the challenge. They’re always good games between us and I look forward to going up there, although I would prefer not to be playing on Friday night — with the travel involved that can be difficult.”
The home side will also have had the advantage of a free week’s build-up, while the Crues were in action on Tuesday at Carrick.
“Playing Saturday, Tuesday, Friday for part-time players is too much. You have to factor all that in,” Baxter added. “Even the fulltime professionals (in England) are complaining about playing three games in six days and it’s not a freak occurrence, it is happening on a weekly basis, but it iswhatitisandwehavetodeal with it.
“In an ideal world it’s not what you want, but we’re not living in an ideal world and you have to get on with it.”
In that ideal world, the Crues would not be waiting more than two months for back-to-back wins but, despite a six-match sequence of a win followed by a defeat, Baxter is happy with his side’s recent performances.
“I watched back the game against Warrenpoint (which they lost 2-0) on Monday and our performance was superb,” he insisted. “We got two bad breaks of the ball and they scored two goals and got the points. I was confident we would win at Carrick and we did.”
Meanwhile, Crusaders have appointed former Dungannon Swifts manager Darren Murphy to their coaching staff.
Murphy, who left Linfield’s backroom in October, joined up with the squad’s training session last night.