Fitzgibbon Cup likely on hold as Mary I appeal to DRA
Tomorrow's Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-finals are unlikely to go ahead, after Mary Immaculate College have confirmed this evening that an appeal has been submitted to the Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA) over the reinstatement of IT Carlow in the competition.
The dispute centres over the eligibility of Kilkenny man James Gannon who is pursuing a Glanbia Graduate Business programme through IT Carlow.
Gannon featured in IT Carlow's wins over Mary Immaculate College and Maynooth University in the group stages, to help secure a quarter-final berth.
However, Mary Immaculate College successfully argued that Gannon was pursuing a part-time course, and they were reinstated in the competition by the GAA's Higher Education Council - Comhairle Ardoideachais (CA).
IT Carlow took their case to the GAA’s Central Appeals Committee (CAC), with a ruling emerging at 2am last Thursday morning that their appeal was successful.
The decision by Mary Immaculate College to contest this ruling means that tomorrow’s quarter-finals are unlikely to go ahead, pending the outcome of a DRA hearing.
Following wins over UCD and NUI Galway respectively UL and Cork IT await their semi-final opponents.
Those games are scheduled for UL and Limerick IT respectively this Friday, although the Fitzgibbon Cup weekend is now majorly in doubt.
The outcome of this ruling is unlikely to affect the other competitions scheduled to be hosted by Limerick IT this weekend, with the Ryan Cup, Fergal Maher Cup and Corn Padraig Mac Diarmuda competitions still set to go ahead as scheduled.
