Cliftonville and Ballymena United have failed in their bids to have a number of suspensions lifted for next Monday’s Sadler’s Peaky Blinder Irish Cup semi-finals at Windsor Park.
It means Cliftonville defenders Jamie Harney and Garry Breen will be unavailable when the Reds meet Glentoran in the 8pm kick-off at the National Stadium.
Experienced centre backs Harney and Breen had one and two game suspensions hanging over them prior to the Irish League going into lockdown on March 13.
The same applies to Ballymena defender Steven McCullough who will miss the earlier 4pm kick-off with derby rivals Coleraine after the Irish FA decided to uphold his one game ban.
Sky Blues boss David Jeffrey will also watch the last four tie from the stands after failing in a bid to have a one game touchline ban lifted.
Both Cliftonville and Ballymena lodged official appeals, arguing the bans should be waived due to Coronavirus and the fact no football has been played here since March.
However, the Irish FA’s Disciplinary Committee ruled today that the bans should be upheld.
An IFA statement said the disciplinary committee felt it would be “unjust to allow the infringements to take place without punishment”.
It added: “Furthermore, it would also be unfair to players/officials who had successfully maintained clean disciplinary records.”
While Article 15.13 of the disciplinary code refers to a ban not being served “except where the abandonment, cancellation or voiding” of a game has occurred through no fault of the club, the Irish FA said this rule was “not written with a global pandemic in mind”.
The Irish Cup semi-finals on July 27 will be played behind closed doors with BBC Northern Ireland providing live coverage of both ties.
The showpiece final will be staged at Windsor Park on Friday, August 31.
