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Fermanagh coach Ryan McMenamin says they are likely to seek a postponement of their Allianz League Division 2 clash with Clare next weekend.
The game is scheduled for Cusack Park in Ennis on Sunday, with both counties fighting to avoid relegation to Division 3.
That could have implications for their participation in the all-Ireland soccer championship in 2021, as only those from the top two divisions can enter the playoffs.
Counties playing in Divisions 3 and 4 will participate in the Tailteann Cup, the new competition for so-called “level 2” teams, should they fail to reach a provincial final.
With a large number of coronavirus cases in Northern Ireland since the beginning of the month, Fermanagh will be left without at least 17 players for the four-point decline.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Saturday Sport, GAA Director of Player, Club and Game Administration Feargal McGill said that Croke Park had not received an official request from Fermanagh to postpone the game, and that even if they did it would be rejected. .
McMenamin says he’s hopeful a solution can be found.
“They have been expressed,” he told RTÉ Sunday Sport when asked if they had spoken to officials in Croke Park about their concerns.
“I know Croke Park has said we haven’t officially released it and we want to postpone it. I can probably tell you that good things come to those who wait.
“It’s coming – Croke Park knows our concerns. The GPA has now raised our concerns.
“In fairness, from what I’ve been told, Clare spoke very passionately on our behalf to get the game postponed. Colm Collins (Clare’s coach) has come out and really wanted to play the game midweek, at one point. neutral place, more or less to give us a chance.
“Look, we’re open to playing it, but it all comes down to integrity. They told us we can’t meet halfway because that will ruin the integrity of the game.
“At the same time, they tell us that it is okay for a team to lose 20 players or more, and then expect 10 players who have contracted COVID to come out on a Sunday.”
The Ernesiders have one final league game next weekend against Laois, before Ulster’s quarterfinals against Down on November 8.
McMenamin believes that the well-being of gamers is not taken into account for those who have been affected by Covid-19.
“Much has been forgotten in this pandemic that these guys have contracted something,” he said.
“People think, ‘You’ll get the 10 guys back.’ But I can’t wait for 10 players to come back and play a national league game. Any conversation I’ve had with them is that they’re totally, totally wrecked.
“Any movement … they can’t go. In fact, it’s kind of scary.”
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