Armagh set to host Ulster Club semi-final replay
The pitch at Healy Park after Sunday's game was abandoned
- Published
Armagh's Athletic Grounds has been selected to host the Ulster Club Senior Football Championship semi-final replay between Newbridge and Scotstown next Sunday, 30 November at 16:00 GMT.
Although the Athletic Grounds is to due to host Saturday's Ulster Club Senior Hurling Championship final between Slaughtneil and St John's [18:00 GMT], it has been nominated to host the football refixture the following day.
Brewster Park in Enniskillen and Cavan's Breffni Park are on standby should the Armagh venue been deemed unplayable.
The knock-on effect means the Ulster Club Senior Football Championship final, due to take place on Sunday, 7 December, has been pushed back until Saturday, 13 December with Kilcoo awaiting the winner of next Sunday's replay.
The original fixture at Healy Park in Omagh was abandoned at half-time on Sunday with Scotstown leading 1-4 to 0-3.
With rain pouring throughout the first half, referee Joe McQuillan conducted a pitch inspection, deciding it was unsafe for players with puddles and thick patches of mud in parts.
"Disappointed, but I mean it's the referee's call and it's the correct call when you see the conditions of the pitch," Ulster GAA president Michael Geoghegan told BBC Sport NI after the game had been called off.
"Health and safety of the players is the first and most important thing in any of our games and that was the referee's concern that it wasn't safe to play that game in the second half.
"We regret the game had to be called off, but I mean safety is paramount to everybody here, both spectators and players. Again, it's the referee's decision, he made that decision, he's the most experienced referee in the country and we 100% back his decision."
'The referee has a decision to make'
Both managers and referee Joe McQuillan during the half time pitch inspection
The Monaghan champions were leading at the time of the abandonment and as is human nature, they would have been keen to continue.
However, their manager David McCague was respectful of the decision.
"The referee has a decision to make in the interest of the safety of players," McCague told BBC Sport NI.
"In his opinion, he determined that there were a few patches in the field that weren't conducive to health and safety and he decided that at half-time and that's his right to do so and I suppose we have to respect that.
"I suppose, like the players on the field, the referee makes a decision, if he's right or wrong, we have to stick to the referee's decision. So I respect Joe McQuillan's decision."