Tough for illness-hit Navan in AIL Div 1B

Without kicking a ball Navan lost any chance they had of taking something from the scheduled AIL Div 1B game with Highfield last Saturday.

The IRFU awarded the match (five points) to the Cork side with conflicting medical advice at the heart of the matter.  

The IRFU intervened after Navan opted not to field a team because players reported with mumps, a condition that causes muscle pain, headaches, poor appetite, swelling of the salivary glands and a general feeling of being unwell.   

The concession of the game is the latest episode in a saga that has further complicated a season for a Navan side that has yet to pick up a victory. 

The Balreask Old side was due to play Highfield on Saturday however the decision was taken by Navan officials not to field a team.

The Navan officials were aware that Highfield would be awarded the game.

On the IRFU website the ‘result’ of the Navan v Highfield game bizarrely reads: Highfield 28, Navan 0, an outcome that only helps to deepen the Meath club’s difficulties at the foot of the table. 

This was the second Navan game that was called off in the space of a week.

The origins of this unusual, sometimes bizarre, story goes back to the days after Navan lost away to Shannon in an AIL Div 1B game on Saturday 19th October.

On the Tuesday after that fixture a Navan player reported that he was somewhat ill, displaying symptoms that were confirmed as mumps. 

The player was effectively put in quarantine and stayed away from training. 

However, on the morning of their next outing against Old Wesley (Saturday 9th November) the saga took another turn for the worst from a Navan perspective as a number of players reported they were displaying symptoms of mumps. 

On Monday 11th November Navan RFC received advice from the local HSE that the players should take two weeks off training from the previous Thursday (7th November) when the players last gathered collectively to train.

It was a stance supported by the club’s medical officer and it put a big question mark over the Highfield match. 

There was another twist to the story last Wednesday (13th November) when an IRFU committee met and decided that, according to medical advice they had received, it was safe for the Navan v Highfield game to go ahead.

The following day (14th November) Navan officials were duly notified.  

It is understood the IRFU considered carefully all medical advice - and decided not to sanction a postponement.
Navan had sought a postponment because they couldn’t field a team against Highfield.
All Navan’s games last weekend weekend that involved adult males were postponed.  
While Highfield, who lead the table, ended up with the five points, Navan avoided further sanction from the IRFU. 
Navan could have been penalised for not fulfilling the fixture with a deduction of five points and a substantial fine. 
It is understood that the Navan players who were not previously vaccinated against mumps will, or already have, received the vaccination.
However, even with the vaccination, people are susceptible to contacting mumps although it will diminish the effects of the condition. 
Navan’s game against Old Wesley has been re-arranged for Thursday 19th December and while Ray Moloney’s side at least have a chance to take something from that game the whole scenario is far from ideal as he and his troops seek to ignite their season. 
“This (outbreak of mumps) is not good at all, it doesn’t suit us whatsoever,” Moloney told the Meath Chronicle on Saturday.
“The HSE told us on not to train or play for two weeks so we didn’t train last week and we won’t be training this week either.
“It’s not ideal from a playing point of view, but it’s understandable from a health point of view.
“Mumps are very contagious and some of our players have children and, of course, you have to take all that into consideration, but the whole thing doesn’t suit us at all, we certainly could have done without it,” he added.
Navan have no game in the AIL Div 1B this weekend and will be away to Malone in Belfast on Saturday 30th November. Navan teams are fixed to play U-20 Premier 2 and Metro League this weekend.