David Jeffrey: Ballymena United manager gets five-game touchline ban reduced to one after appeal

David Jeffrey's Ballymena are 10th in the Irish Premiership table

Ballymena United manager David Jeffrey has had a five-game touchline ban reduced to one match by the Irish FA.

The club appealed against the extra four-game penalty which he received for his actions after a defeat by Coleraine on 7 March.

Jeffrey was sent off during the encounter and his automatic one-match suspension for that still stands.

It means he cannot be on the touchline for Ballymena's Irish Cup semi-final if it does go ahead.

The Sky Blues are due to take on the Bannsiders in the last four of this season's Irish Cup, which is likely to go ahead even if no further matches take place in the Irish Premiership.

Jeffrey's assistant Brian McLaughlin has had his three-game suspension, which he received for the same incident, rescinded.

The former Linfield pair were reported by the referee for their actions after the match and these were initially dealt with by way of the IFA's Article 18.7 charges.

Glentoran and Cliftonville are due to contest the other Irish Cup semi-final.

A decision is expected to be made this week about how the 2019-20 Irish Premiership season will be finished, with Uefa restating on Wednesday that the IFA must nominate three clubs to play in European competitions by 3 August.