Ulster GAA chiefs have responded to Rory Gallagher’s weekend appeal by moving Derry’s provincial under-20 semi-final encounter with Donegal to this weekend.
Gallagher was unhappy that five of his squad would have been ineligible for their Ulster senior quarter-final encounter with Fermanagh at Brewster Park on Saturday week had they lined out against Donegal.
The GAA’s ‘floating window’ rule prevents a player from lining out at under-20 and senior level in a seven day period.
The Donegal tie has now been refixed for this Saturday (4pm), one day outside the seven day window.
With Donegal seniors not playing in the same seven day window as their under-20s, all their players were deemed eligible for the Derry game and the senior’s Ulster quarter-final tie with Down on April 23 at Pairc Esler.
There was more good news for Derry with the game fixed for their Owenbeg training centre after they won a toss for venue.
Speaking after the Division 2 final defeat by Dublin at Croke Park over the weekend, Gallagher complained it was “usual lip survive” from the Ulster Council and that “Derry players are not equal to Donegal players.”
A Derry appeal last Saturday was shot down by the Ulster Council, but a further move proved successful, following a Competitions Control Committee (CCC) meeting.
The five Derry players concerned are Eoin McEvoy, Matthew Downey, Lachlan Murray, Niall O’Donnell and Mark Doherty.
McEvoy has been a regular starter in the Derry defence this year, but missed out on last weekend’s Dublin defeat.
Murray and Downey both came on as subs, while O’Donnell was used as a blood sub for a spell before coming in late on as a sub.
Derry were the 2020 All-Ireland minor champions at under-17 level, but the final against Kerry was played in 2021 due to Covid.
Marty Boyle’s outfit defeated Fermanagh in the Ulster under-20 quarter-final on a 3-12 to 0-8 scoreline to set up a semi-final meeting with Donegal.
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