The Football Association of Ireland has defended its scheduling of the FAI Carlsberg Cup semi-final clash between Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians for this Sunday afternoon.
Supporters of both clubs released a joint statement during the week outlining their "total outrage and disgust" with the FAI's decision to stage the game on Sunday and not Friday night, where a larger crowd would have been expected at Tolka Park.
The clubs are expected to suffer financially as other sporting events on Sunday are likely to make an impact on attendance figures at the Drumcondra venue.
The "Old Firm" clash between Celtic and Rangers is to be televised live by RTÉ while a number of city GAA fans are expected to travel to Portlaoise to see Dublin play Galway in the All-Ireland under-21 football final.
The FAI said in a statement that they had received information indicating potential trouble at the Shamrock Rovers - Bohemians match and based on security grounds the decision to maintain the tie on Sunday was confirmed.
A detailed security plan has been drawn up in conjunction with both clubs and the Gardaí.
The FAI said it was discussing televising the two games when the semi-final draw was made on September 16th.
However, their statement added: "At no stage was it confirmed to any of the four clubs that the matches would be televised live".
Fans from both clubs told ireland.comthat they understood the game was being played on Sunday to facilitate live television coverage.
But when a highlights package was opted for the supporters said they failed to see why the game could not be played on the Friday night.
A number of Derry City supporters have also expressed disappointment with the FAI for fixing their semi-final clash with Cork City tonight. The arduous trek south from Derry has made the journey "unappealing" to some fans "especially on a work day".