Player eligibility disputes may disrupt league start

Three disputes over player eligibility are threatening to disrupt the start of the AIB All-Ireland League. The IRFU finally released the fixtures for the season yesterday, but Dolphin/Young Munster and Dublin University/Galwegians remain listed in Division One as well as Division Two.

Taking these eligibility disputes to the High Court remains an option - Young Munster appear primed for such a route - but with the courts closing this Monday for two months and the league due to start on October 14th, the IRFU are facing a genuine crisis within the domestic game.

The union are in the process of rewriting their regulations regarding complaints and objections to avoid a recurrence of this scenario.

Young Munster missed out on promotion to Division One, while Dublin University were relegated to Division Two last season, but the clubs are seeking a deduction of points for Dolphin and Galwegians that would alter the final standings.

A Young Munster complaint about the eligibility of Dolphin's Andrew O'Driscoll, and a Dolphin complaint about the eligibility of Young Munster's Eoin Ryan, will be dealt with by an IRFU regulatory tribunal this Thursday in the Great Southern Hotel, near Dublin airport, at 5pm. The tribunal chairman is Hugh Logan.

The O'Driscoll case led to the cancellation of the Division Two final at Lansdowne Road on May 13th as the IRFU were forced to process a separate Young Munster objection.

An IRFU subcommittee, chaired by Finbar Crowley, ruled in favour of Young Munster and ordered the Division Two semi-final against Dolphin to be replayed.

However, a Dolphin appeal on July 13th was upheld by the IRFU subcommittee, which effectively deemed the O'Driscoll transfer from Bandon RFC to be acceptable.

Young Munster have no internal avenue of redress if the regulatory tribunal also favours Dolphin, but they have indicated a willingness to take matters to the High Court.

The Dublin University objection is to the selection of Galwegians player Killian Finnane. An All-Ireland League subcommittee already ruled in favour of Galwegians, as Dublin University didn't object within seven days, but this was appealed last week. The findings of that hearing have yet to be released to the clubs.

The cost of this whole process has already hurt the IRFU and all clubs involved, with one Dolphin source revealing almost €20,000 has been spent on legal fees alone.

Yesterday's IRFU press release stated: "The IRFU regrets the delay in issuing this season's fixture list and for any inconvenience caused to the AIB League clubs as a result of the delay to date arising out of the due process of law being applied."

IRFU communications manager Karl Richardson added: "At this point in time the complaints and objections are being dealt with under due process of law. The IRFU will not be commenting further."

Meanwhile, Connacht will play hosts to NEC Harlequins in the opening Challenge Cup pool four fixture on the weekend of October 22nd-24th.

This is followed a week later by a trip to the Recreation Grounds in Bath.

Round three and four are home and away fixtures against Montpellier in December, before the remaining two games in January.