Letterbarrow and Kerrykeel unhappy at Donegal League abandonment

In the immediate aftermath of the abandonment of a Donegal Junior League game at Eany Park in Inver on Sunday both Letterbarrow Celtic and Kerrykeel 71 officials expressed disappointment with the decision.

The Temple Domestic Appliances Division 1 encounter between the clubs had been changed from Letterbarrow’s home ground at Tymeen to Eany Park because of an unplayable pitch. Letterbarrow were leading 3-0 at half-time and just before the break a Kerrykeel player was red carded by referee George Clinton.

Then early in the second half a second Kerrykeel player was shown a red card and he protested the award, with his team mates ushering him away from the referee and towards the dressing room. Minutes after this incident the referee was unhappy with something and blew the whistle to abandon the game with just 53 minutes played. The decision came as a shock to both sets of players and officials.

Donegal League game ends prematurely after just 53 minutes

Letterbarrow Celtic were leading Kerrykeel 71 when referee George Clinton called time, 'for his own safety' leaving both sets of players and officials frustrated

Long-standing Letterbarrow official James McGroary gave his version as follows: “As far as I was concerned, the game was going along nicely. Kerrykeel had a player sent off before half-time for retaliation. Letterbarrow were cruising at 3-0 and then all of a sudden, in five minutes, there was another Kerrykeel player sent off. I don’t know exactly what it was for, I think it was for a second bookable offence.

“And then off the ball something was said to the referee and the referee abandoned the match. I asked the referee if he would finish the match and he said I’m going off for my own safety. Obviously, somebody said something.

“It is very disappointing because the game was played in a very good spirit up to that. We were cruising, scored three great goals and we were very happy. I suppose the outcome of the match is that we will get the result,” said McGroary, who was really happy with the quality of the Letterbarrow goals. The end result was disappointing for both sides, for Kerrykeel also who are struggling at the bottom of the table.

Kerrykeel 71 manager Hughie Walsh was not happy with the referee’s decision and was very forthright in his view.

“Before the game, the pitch wasn’t in great shape," he said We had a man sent off before half-time, fair enough. But he (referee) came out after half-time and sent another man off and then, for some reason, he just blew the whistle and says the game’s over.

“We can’t work out what happened. There wasn’t a dirty tackle in that match. I just think the referee has lost control of that game. We travelled up here, an hour and a half, and he calls the game off after an hour.

“To be fair to Letterbarrow, they were worthy of the lead. I said to the boys at half-time, that we didn’t create much and that they took their chances. It’s a sad way to end the game. God knows what the league will do now. They will probably come down very hard on us, which isn’t very fair either."