Warrenpoint consider appeal against relegation over Carrick manager's ban issue

Carrick avoided relegation on the final day of the season as they snatched a 2-1 win over Ballinamallard

Warrenpoint Town are considering an appeal against their controversial relegation from the Irish Premiership.

The possible grounds for an appeal is understood to be a claim that Carrick Rangers manager Gary Haveron should not have been in his club's dugout for the win over Dungannon Swifts on 23 April.

Haveron was handed a three-match ban but it is claimed one of the games should have included the Swifts match.

There is a suggestion Haveron sat out a game when he wasn't actually banned.

Irish FA rules state that the sanction for a player or manager failing to serve a ban is a minimum £350 fine for the club concerned and the forfeiting of the match on a 3-0 scoreline.

How they finished at the bottom of the Irish Premiership

If Carrick's win over Dungannon was overturned, they would drop to the automatic relegation spot while it would leave Warrenpoint Town in the promotion-relegation play-off spot.

The situation is complicated by that fact that the first leg of the promotion-relegation play-off between Ballinamallard United and Institute took place on Friday night with the Fermanagh club earning a 2-1 win over Institute at Drumahoe.

Warrenpoint were left furious by their relegation on the final day of the season after a highly contentious injury-time penalty led to Dungannon snatching a 1-1 draw which meant that the county Down club dropped to bottom spot.

A Warrenpoint victory in that game would maintained their Premiership status.

Carrick, who started the final day bottom of the table, avoided the drop as they scored two late goals to beat Ballinamallard United 2-1.