The timing of Sunday's crunch World Cup game against Spain, 12.30 p.m., has caused havoc in Derry's parochial houses.
Father Roland Colhoun, curate in the Holy Family parish in Ballymagroarty, said "negotiations are still ongoing" within the parochial house to see who would be celebrating next Sunday's 12.30 p.m. Mass.
Father Colhoun, a neighbour of goalkeeper Shay Given from Lifford in Co Donegal, predicted a lower attendance than normal at the Mass.
"None of us wants to say this Mass given what will be happening in Korea at the same time. We haven't decided the roster yet, but work must go on," he said.
The lower attendances at the midday Masses will mean a bumper day for the city's 70-plus bars and restaurants.
But one restaurateur said the big game would have an adverse impact on his traditional Sunday lunch business.
"So far, I've had five bookings for the half past twelve Father's Day lunch sitting as against the normal 40 to 50 bookings, but the second sitting has been completely booked out because the match will be over then", he said.
Meanwhile, many of the Derry GAA fans who are travelling to Clones, Co Monaghan, for the Ulster senior football semi-final game against Donegal on Sunday are planning to change their travel plans. They have decided to travel to the game tomorrow rather than on Sunday.
"Our plan is to travel down on Saturday, have a few pints, get up and watch the Ireland-Spain match and then go to the Derry-Donegal semi-final", said a member of the Steelstown GAA club in Derry.