The Irish FA has rejected Coleraine’s protest against Cliftonville making late changes to their team before their Irish Cup match. Coleraine complained when Cliftonville replaced Chris Gallagher, who had a groin injury, with Ronan Doherty just before the game at the Showgrounds.
Ronan Hale scored three goals in extra time, helping Cliftonville win 3-0. This decision means Cliftonville will play in the sixth round against Loughgall.
Teams can change players if they are injured. Coleraine’s complaint was about whether Gallagher’s injury was genuine.
In a recent statement, Cliftonville addressed the Irish FA’s decision, explaining that their correspondence from the FA revealed the Challenge Cup Committee’s conclusion. The committee found that Coleraine’s protest did not comply with Rule 23 of the Challenge Cup rules and was therefore dismissed.
Cliftonville also acknowledged the speculation in the press and on social media regarding their team sheet alteration for the game. They emphasised their compliance with IFA Challenge Cup Rule 7 and expressed their confidence in their actions regarding this matter.
There were problems with Cliftonville’s team list on the Comet system, but these were fixed before the game started.
