Jon Daly hits out at ‘farcical’ Dundalk v St Patrick’s Athletic postponement

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Dundalk boss Jon Daly has slammed the FAI’s decision to postpone his side’s scheduled Premier Division showdown with St Patrick’s Athletic on Sunday.

The Lilywhites were due to face the Saints at Oriel Park despite protests from Stephen Kenny who is preparing his side for a do-or-die Conference League play-off second leg against Istanbul Basaksehir on Thursday.  

And less than 48 hours before the match was set to take place, the FAI made a call to postpone the game.

A statement read: “The League of Ireland can confirm that this Sunday’s SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division fixture between Dundalk and St. Patrick’s Athletic has been postponed. 

“The postponement comes as a result of the unique opportunity that now exists for two League of Ireland Clubs to compete in the League Phase of UEFA Club competitions for the first time as St. Patrick’s Athletic travel to Istanbul for the second leg of their UEFA Conference League Play-Off with İstanbul Başakşehir. 

“Having taken into consideration the exceptional circumstances that the fixtures between each leg for St. Patrick Athletic is six days instead of the standard seven, the League of Ireland has postponed this Sunday’s fixture at Oriel Park and a new date will be announced in due course.”

But Dundalk boss Daly hit back and said: “To call a game off, 46 hours before it is due to get underway, is farcical. I think it shows that if you make enough noise and apply pressure in the right areas you can clearly get your way.

“The reasons that the FAI have outlined for postponing the game were as relevant last Thursday, when St Patrick’s Athletic qualified for the playoff round, as they are today. A decision could easily have been made at that point to postpone the game.

“From a football point of view, we will have gone 21 days without a competitive game. That is completely unacceptable at a stage of the season where we have just nine fixtures to play.

“The issue of sporting integrity also has to be called into question. Clubs in and around us have already had – and will have – the benefit of playing clubs on the back of European fixtures. There is zero consistency.



“We constantly hear about how we need to grow the league and make it more professional but this decision makes it look anything but.”

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