Statement: Shamrock v Cork City Postponement

The Friends of the Rebel Army Society (FORAS) has called on the League of Ireland to review its processes for assessing pitch conditions after Cork City’s away fixture against Shamrock Rovers was postponed with just 35 minutes notice.

Hundreds of travelling supporters incurred expense and spent hours travelling to Dublin, having been twice assured the fixture would go ahead.

FORAS is calling on the League to explain how it issued a notice to supporters at 4pm ‘confirming’ the fixture would go ahead, only to call it off a little over an hour later.

Met Éireann had forecast heavy downpours and potential thunderstorms for the Dublin region on Sunday. As such, the earlier inspections at 11am and 4pm should have taken into account the impact this further forecast rain would have had on a playing surface that has hosted two games since Thursday night.

The League needs to also explain why a request from Cork City to delay kick off to facilitate the game going ahead was apparently ignored.

The League’s handling of this fixture has seen hundreds of travelling supporters left out of pocket, and having wasted a day going to Dublin.

This treatment of loyal supporters is not good enough, is a poor reflection on the League’s ability to manage the competition, and demands a review to avoid a repeat of a similar situation.