Cabinteely are holding an emergency board meeting at 6.00pm to discuss their next move after they were replaced in the First Division playoffs by Galway United.
At a €5,000 arbitration hearing yesterday, Wexford FC successfully contested a charge of fielding an ineligible player - and it has plunged the remainder of the season into chaos.
It means the two additional points Cabinteely picked up a fortnight ago are withdrawn and, in doing so, they now miss out on this weekend’s playoffs.
In a statement this evening, the FAI said: “The Football Association of Ireland has today been informed of the decision of the Independent Arbitrator to uphold the appeal of Wexford FC regarding the eligibility of a Wexford FC player.
“The Independent Arbitrator has ruled that the results on the field of play in the four games involving the player in question stand.
“Wexford FC and their opponents will now retain the points gained on the field of play from their First Division fixtures against Athlone Town, Cabinteely FC, Shamrock Rovers II and Cobh Ramblers.
“Galway United will now play Bray Wanderers in the First Division Play-Off Semi-Final on Saturday.”
Cabo chiefs have scrambled a virtual board meeting to discuss the fallout and their options, which could potentially include an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
UCD host Longford Town in the other First Division playoff on Saturday, but it remains to be seen if any Cabinteely objection will prevent the Bray-Galway game going ahead.
Yesterday, the virtual arbitration hearing lasted for several hours and while Wexford and Cabinteely were hoping for an outcome last night, they had to sweat until today.
Earlier this month, two First Division clubs appealed an FAI decision not to sanction Wexford in the case of potential player ineligibility.
Mirror Sport exclusively revealed in September that a probe was underway into whether Wexford’s Ola Adeyemo had international clearance to play in four games.
Adeyemo was signed from English non-league side Lewes in July and the FAI said it received an International Transfer Certificate from the English FA.
The striker then played in four First Division matches; a 3-1 win at Athlone, a 0-0 draw against leaders Cabinteely, a 2-0 defeat to Shamrock Rovers II and a 4-0 loss to Cobh.
But he has not featured since because the English FA contacted the FAI again to flag an issue with the International Transfer Certificate.
It emerged that Adeyemo signed documents with Swedish club Ytterhogdals during lockdown but that transfer didn’t happen because of the pandemic and he joined Wexford.
The FAI’s ‘active investigation’ into the matter concluded in late September, and Wexford were not sanctioned.
Two rival clubs in the First Division successfully appealed the decision but Wexford went to arbitration insisting they had done nothing wrong.
Adeyemo, 25, has played for UCD, Dundee United, East Fife, Watford, Norwegian side Valdres FK and English non-league outfits Walton Casuals and Lewes.
