Waterford Premier League champions and 2022 FAI Junior Cup winners Villa face the prospect of being eliminated from the FAI Junior Cup, as a result of a successful appeal made by Mayo club Castlebar Celtic.
Villa dispatched of Castlebar on a 3-0 score line when the sides met in the FAI Junior Cup Round of 16 recently, with goals coming from Dean Walsh, Conor Whittle and Anthony Ebhonuaye.
However, the result was subsequently appealed by Castlebar Celtic in the aftermath on the basis of their belief that Villa fielded an ineligible player in the tie as per the competition’s rules.
Castlebar Celtic’s appeal is based upon their belief that Villa fielded a player who had played in the League of Ireland after the commencement of this season’s FAI Junior Cup.
As per the competition rulebook, players who played in the League of Ireland after the commencement of that season’s FAI Junior Cup, are ineligible to play.
Rule 13.2 of the Football Association of Ireland Junior Challenge Cup Competition Rules 2024/2025 states that ‘a player who has played in the FAI Senior Cup with a League of Ireland Premier or First Division team during the season of this completion is not eligible to participate in the FAI Junior Cup’.
The rulebook also stipulates that should a Competition Manager / Area Manager have any doubt as to the qualification of any player taking part in the competition, they shall have the power to call upon such player or team to which he belongs, or which he has played, to prove he is qualified according to the rules set out above.
Failing satisfactory proof, the disciplinary committee may disqualify such a player and remove the said team from the competition.
An appeal was heard by the FAI in recent days, and Castlebar Celtic have been successful – meaning Villa now face the prospect of being eliminated from the competition.
They had been pencilled in to face Galway side Salthill Devon in the FAI Junior Cup Quarter-Final, but as a result of the appeal – Castlebar Celtic will now take their place.
Reports suggest that Villa intend to counter Castlebar Celtic’s initial appeal, with a final ruling yet to be made on who will take the place against Salthill Devon in the weeks ahead.
