Games likely to be postponed

This evening's two Premier Division games in the National League looked certain to be postponed late last night after Bray Wanderers appealed a decision to bring forward their visit to Dalymount Park from tomorrow evening.

It had originally been intended that all 12 clubs would play tomorrow but with cup semi-finalists Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians both attempting to secure more preparation time ahead of Friday's clash, their respective games with St Patrick's Athletic and Bohemians were refixed for this evening.

But Bray Wanderers claim they were only informed of the switch on Friday, two days after they had started the process of ensuring that their players would be available for a Tuesday evening match and they have now lodged an appeal with the league. That in itself should be enough to ensure there is no chance the game can proceed this evening.

"It's just not fair to expect us to go along with something like this," said a Bray spokesman. "They have a lot of full-time players so they can afford to be more flexible but we had no guarantee that we would get all of our players off for the new time and given how much is at stake in the game it wouldn't be reasonable for us to go ahead in those circumstances."

St Patrick's, meanwhile, had apparently only agreed to have their match against Rovers refixed on the basis that Bohemians were doing the same and it appeared last night they too would decline to play in the wake of the difficulties involving Bray. Assuming Bray's appeal is heard today then it is at least hoped the two games can go ahead as originally intended as part of a six-match programme tomorrow night although there is a possibility the dispute could cause their game to be further postponed.