Linfield will refuse to play Derry
Tuesday, 5 January 2010 22:40Linfield chairman Jim Kerr has revealed the Blues will not play their proposed clash with Derry City in the Setanta Cup next month.
Kerr is adamant that the Derry City that qualified for the competition no longer exists with the club in the midst of reforming following the scandal involving the dual contracts that Derry held with players.
It led to the club being thrown out of the League of Ireland, though City look set for a place in the First Division in 2010 by reapplying to the league under new ownership.
However, the issue of the Setanta Cup still remains.
Kerr believes that the competition is 'dead in the water'.
He told the Belfast Telegraph: 'We won't be playing Derry City in the Setanta Cup.
'The Derry City that qualified for the competition has ceased to exist and they have gone into liquidation owing money to ourselves and Dungannon Swifts - although I have been told that we'll get all the money.
'If a new Derry City comes into operation, which looks likely as they are signing players, they still don't have a right to play in the Setanta Cup.'
He added: 'As far as I am concerned the competition is now dead in the water.
'We were told that money would be paid up-front, we received a portion of that and referee's expenses were then deducted from the second payment.
'The prize money, which has been reduced from the original figure, is in doubt and it's now going to cost clubs money to play in it.'
Derry City has played two games already in Group 3 of the Setanta Cup, drawing matches against St Patrick's Athletic and Linfield.
One possible solution would be to award St. Patrick's Athletic and Linfield victories for those matches and likewise for the return matches that are due to be played.
Pat's and the Blues could then play-off to see which team qualifies for the semi-finals, but it would also give the loser an unfair advantage as the best-placed runner-up in each group also qualifies for the last four and the two teams would already have two wins registed by Derry's withdrawal.
