Waterford pitch saw action despite NFL tie’s KO

A CLUB game was played on a pitch after it had been officially declared unplayable for an Allianz League fixture. The Division 4 FL clash between Waterford and Leitrim was one of four games scheduled to take place on Bank Holiday Monday but subsequently pulled as it was declared the venues had failed pitch inspections. However, Ardmore, which had been scheduled to host the Waterford-Leitrim game — one of 10 called off last Sunday due to adverse weather conditions — hosted a club senior football league game between Ardmore and Rathcormack on Monday. Ironically the throw-in for that game was noon, two hours earlier than the Natonal League game had been scheduled to start. Indeed, the ArdmoreRathcormack fixture was posted on the official Waterford GAA Twitter account early on Monday morning, casting further doubt on claims that the pitch was unplayable. Players from a number of county panels are understood to have contacted the GPA objecting to their games being rescheduled by 24 hours. That prompted the intercounty players body to contact Croke Park on Sunday evening, issuing an ultimatum and declaring they would be ‘supporting a number of squads who have outlined their commitment not to fulfil their fixtures’ on Monday. The GAA, however, claimed

yesterday that they would not have ‘forced’ players to play against their will and that the Leitrim/ Waterford game was an ‘exceptional’ case. ‘We were never going to force the issue in a case where a pitch might be 50/50,’ said Croke Park communications officer Alan Milton. ‘You are asking a team to travel from Leitrim to Waterford. That game is an exception because I don’t think there was a longer journey made last weekend and they were being asked to start out again. We were never going to force them and we don’t have to be told about our responsibility of player welfare in that regard. And because of the distance, a very early call would have had to be made on the pitch for that game,’ added Milton. It is likely that those outstanding League fixtures, which are ‘dead

rubbers’ will not be played as the GAA seek to wrap up the League programme as quickly as possible. The Division 2 and 4 finals will be played on the weekend of March 31/April 1, in the event of the finalists in both of those divisions being confirmed this weekend. The GAA also confirmed yesterday that the Hurling League final will be played on Sunday, April 8. FIXTURES SATURDAY All-Ireland Club SHC final replay: Cuala v Na Piarsaigh, O’Moore Park, 5.30pm. Allianz HL Division 1 quarter-final: Wexford v Galway, Wexford Park, 3.0.

Allianz HL Division 2A final: Westmeath v Carlow, O’Moore Park, 3.30. Allianz HL Division 2B relegation play-off: Derry v Armagh, Ballyshannon, 3.0. Allianz HL Division 3A final: Louth v Warwickshire, Trim, 1.0 SUNDAY Allianz HL Division 1 quarter-final: Dublin v Tipperary, Croke Park, 1.0. Allianz FL Division 1 (3.0 unless stated): Dublin v Monaghan, Croke Park; Donegal v Mayo, Ballybofey; Kildare v Galway, Newbridge; Tyrone v Kerry, Healy Park.

Division 2 : Roscommon v Cork, Dr Hyde Park; Meath v Down, Páirc Tailteann; Clare v Louth, Cusack Park; Cavan v Tipperary, Kingspan Breffni.

Division 3: Longford v Fermanagh, Pearse Park; Sligo v Derry, Westmeath v Offaly, TEG Cusack Park; Wexford v Armagh, Innovate Wexford Park.

Division 4 (all 1.0): London v Waterford, Ruislip; Limerick v Antrim, Gaelic Grounds; Leitrim v Wicklow, Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada, Carlow v Laois, Netwatch Cullen Park. Allianz HL Division 3B final: Lancashire v Leitrim, Ballyconnell, 12.0.