Clubs play waiting game on Town appeal

MOUNTFIELD boss Paul McFadden is taking a pretty relaxed attitude to the appeal by Enniskillen Town United which, if successful, could deny the Youth Sport Omagh based outfit their place in the top tier of the Fermanagh and Western League.

Mountfield secured promotion back in February to earn a place at the Fermanagh and Western’s top table and that was confirmed when the member clubs voted to conclude the season because of the coronavirus pandemic by using a points average ratio with promotion but no relegation.

Last week Town lodged an appeal with the Irish Football Association claiming that the Fermanagh and Western had acted outside it’s own rules and that of the IFA in reaching that decision. The Enniskillen club are hoping for that decision to be overturned and that the season is declared null and void.

If successful Mountfield and Enniskillen Athletic will miss out on promotion to Division One while Derrychara United, another Enniskillen team, Enniskillen Galaxy and Orchard Farm will be denied promotion to Division Two.

McFadden admits Town’s appeal is “annoying” however it wasn’t totally unexpected.

“I was expecting someone to appeal to be honest,” said the Mountfield supremo.

“Of course we are not happy about it but it’s out of our hands and we are just waiting to see what we are told. If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen, there’s nothing we can do.

“It’s not a case of we were nearly promoted, we and Enniskillen Athletic have been promoted for a long time.

Town’s appeal to have the season ultimately declared null and void will also deny Tummery Athletic an historic first ever Mercer League title.

Their player-manager, Ryan Hanna, who won it all as player with Enniskillen Town before making the switch to Crawford’s Lane, said he was fully expecting the appeal.

“It was inevitable in one sense of the word given that Town had submitted a letter along with their vote,” he said.

“If that is the process and that is the route they want to go down that’s their club’s prerogative.”

FULL STORY IN TODAY’S ULSTER HERALD