Sligo have become the first county to forfeit in the 2020 Championship as their Connacht football semi-final with Galway is off.
The team has been hit with a Covid-19 outbreak, with at least seven players believed to have tested positive and others in isolation having been identified as close contacts.
Following a meeting of the county board executive, it was decided to concede the fixture to Galway ahead of Saturday’s scheduled tie at Pearse Stadium.
The GAA has said that postponing a Championship game would only be considered where there is a two-week window between the game in question and the next round of the competition.
A statement from Sligo read: "Sligo GAA have taken the tough decision to withdraw from this weekend's Connacht SFC semi-final versus Galway.
"Paul Taylor and his management team along with the panel of 32 players have been working together since September. Due to the unforeseen circumstances of players testing positive for Covid-19 and other players deemed as close contacts, makes it impossible for Sligo to fulfil the fixture.
"The county board executive along with the players and management are extremely upset at having to make this decision. The players themselves are hugely disappointed at not having the option of a refixture and feel the outcome has been forced on them, whilst understanding that in these unusual times it is not possible to take part this coming weekend.
"All affected by Covid-19 findings are following the requisite HSE guidelines and we are glad to report doing well at this time.
"Sligo GAA have informed GAA officials at Croke Park and Connacht GAA of this regrettable but correct decision."
Both Connacht semi-finals were to take place this weekend with the final fixed for November 15, though it was thought that there may have been some wriggle room with the other three provincial deciders scheduled for the weekend of November 21/22 and there being a further two weeks to the All-Ireland semi-finals on December 5/6.
But Sligo didn’t request a postponement with the Connacht Council as even being granted a week’s grace wouldn’t have made a significant difference to player availability given the need for players to isolate.
Sligo completed their Division Four campaign with defeats to Carlow and Limerick and were rank outsiders ahead of their trip to Salthill on Saturday though the integrity of the competition is undermined by Galway progressing to the final against Roscommon or Mayo without even kicking a ball.
It means that Padraic Joyce’s side could conceivably win the All-Ireland by playing just three games.
It’s a worrying development for the GAA too and banishes any complacency that might have kicked in after games largely ran off without a hitch in recent weeks amid dropping Covid-19 case numbers across the country.
It’s the third inter-county fixture that has had to be forfeited as a result of a Covid-19 outbreak within a squad after the Leitrim footballers sat out their league tie with Down, while the Offaly hurlers conceded their Christy Ring Cup tie against Kildare last month, though they remained in the competition due to the second-chance element and will play Derry on Saturday.
