Slane v Drumconrath semi rescheduled

Slane and Drumconrath WILL meet in the Tailteann Cup semi-final following a decision by local GAA chiefs to re-schedule the game after it was not played on St Patrick's Day at Castletown.

There was an early morning St Patrick's Day postponement of the game when Meath Co Board called off the scheduled fixture
at Castletown between Slane and Drumconrath.

The unofficial 'word' in the build up to the game was that it would not be played due to requests for a postponement but there was no official word from either club or from the Co Board - until the morning of the game when notification about the postponement was issued.

It appears that Slane declined to play the game, but this is not clear, even at this stage, but appeals for a re-fixture appear to have been succcessful and the teams will head-to-head as soon as the game is fixed - the decision may have to be ratified at the next Co Board meeting on Monday 8th May.

The background to the non-playing of the semi-final - which would have been a big game for both clubs - relateed to the abandonment of a A FL Div 4 game in February between Slane and Drumconrath.

That game was played in Slane and it was abandoned in the closing stages, allegedly arising out of incidents that took place outside the perimeter fence between spectators.

A number of players attempted to intervene in an effort to calm the situation, but by the time order was restored the referee had left the playing area.

Three weeks ago fines totalling €1,000 were imposed by Meath GAA Co Board on the Slane and Drumconrath clubs (€500 each) arising out of those incidents.

Suspensions were also imposed with a Slane clubman banned for 48 weeks and a Drumconrath clubman handed a 12-week ban. 
The game was declared void.

The winner of the Tailteann Cup semi-final re-fixture will play Meath Hill in the final.