Cup finalists set for appeals

ST PATRICK'S Athletic and Shelbourne are both expected to lodge appeals on behalf of players who received suspensions yesterday that threaten to rule them out of the FAI Cup final.

Brian Flood of Shelbourne and St Patrick's captain John McDonnell were both suspended for one match for reaching 20 penalty points, while Shelbourne's reserve goalkeeper Declan Campbell is set to miss two games after being sent off in a reserve match against Bray Wanderers.

The clubs are expected to base their appeals on the grounds that had the Cup final gone ahead on the original scheduled date, Sunday May 5th, none of the players would have been affected as the suspensions do not take effect until the week commencing Monday May 6th, the new date for the final.

The absence of Flood from the Shelbourne midfield would be an added blow to manager Damien Richardson who has already lost the services of the influential Gary Howlett for the Landowner Road match.

The former Brighton player who appeared in the English FA Cup final for that club, will miss the FAI Cup decider through injury for the third time after breaking a bone in his ankle in a clash with Sligo's Ian Gilzean last Friday night.