Erne Gaels have issued a strongly-worded response to the latest development with the matter likely to end up with the Ulster Council for further consideration
The controversy over the Fermanagh Senior League final continues to rumble on after an earlier decision to play the decider between Derrygonnelly and Erne Gaels was reversed.
The Harps won the game in August on a scoreline of 0-17 to 0-15, but replays called into question the legitimacy of two-pointers awarded to Jarlath Flanagan and Stephen McGullion.
The Belleek men lodged an appeal against the result and the Fermanagh county board ordered the game to be replayed at the conclusion of the Senior Football Championship.
As fate would have it, the sides met in the final with Seamus Ryder’s late score giving Declan Bonner’s men a second chance with Erne Gaels winning the replay in Brewster Park.
They also defeated Cavan champions Kingscourt in the Ulster series before losing out to Kilcoo last weekend.
However, that might well have been their final outing of 2025 as the Fermanagh competitions control committee (CCC) reversed their decision to replay the game, citing a directive from Croke Park in relation to Rule 7.5 which stated that objections “are narrowly defined to only account for accounting errors by match officials rather than the wrong type of score being awarded.”
In an email sent to both clubs, the CCC explained: “With the passage of time and the progress of Erne Gaels in the Ulster Club Championship, we find it increasingly unlikely that a suitable date to replay the SFL Division 1 Final could be found.
“The Derrygonnelly Harps team have stopped training over a month at this stage. Some of their players, and some from Erne Gaels, will now be involved with various Fermanagh teams until June/July of 2026.
“In addition, a direction from Croke Park in relation to Rule 7.5 stating that objections in this manner are narrowly defined to only account for accounting errors by match officials rather than the wrong type of score being awarded.
“Despite the inherent unfairness surrounding the outcome as a result of the incorrect awarding of two scores, the Competitions Control Committee met and felt we have no alternative other than to follow the rules and have made the decision to award the 2025 Senior Football League Division 1 Final to Derrygonnelly Harps.”
Erne Gaels have issued a strongly-worded response to the latest development with the matter likely to end up with the Ulster Council for further consideration.
“Erne Gaels GAC object in the strongest terms to the awarding of the Fermanagh Senior Division 1 League Final to Derrygonnelly Harps.” the statement read.
‘The recent communications from the CCC raise serious concerns regarding fairness, consistency, and governance.”
While raising a number of counter-objections to the CCC ruling, the Erne Gaels statement concludes by imploring the CCC to “reconsider its position, provide clarification for the procedural inconsistencies, and reinstate the original ruling awarding a replay.”
Click here to sign up to our sport newsletter, bringing you the latest sports news, headlines and top stories
#Fermanagh #League #final #row #rumbles #Derrygonnelly #awarded #title
