Club criticises Connacht FA for refusing to reschedule final clashing with Leaving Cert orals – The Irish Times

A football club in south Sligo has criticised the Connacht FA after pulling out of a final because it clashed with the Leaving Certificate oral exams.

Real Tubber from Tubbercurry’s under-18 girls team were due to play Galway’s Mervue United last Saturday in the Connacht Shield final in Headford, Co Galway.

Real Tubber refused to show up because some of its players were doing oral exams and the trophy was awarded to Mervue United, who fulfilled the fixture.

The Leaving Certificate oral exams began last Saturday and end on Thursday.

Manager Louise Kilbane said a number of their players actually had Leaving Certificate oral exams in Spanish and German on the day in question, and there was a fear that if any of them got injured, they wouldn’t be able to do their orals.

“They are all high-achieving girls and oral Irish is 40 per cent of their final mark,” she said.

In a statement published on its Facebook page, Real Tubber said it made “numerous legitimate requests” that the game be rescheduled after the original date, March 7th, was postponed because of bad weather.

“The Connacht FA have refused the requests. Additionally, they have not offered a credible explanation as to why the original final dates were changed (other than wet weather and no pitch availability in Connacht) despite the finals now being played on an astroturf surface,” the statement read.

“They refuse to accept that fixing finals which clash with state exams is a legitimate reason to seek a postponement.

“All through this process, Real Tubber, with several players sitting their Leaving Cert orals, have consistently outlined why they will not be in a position to field a team in the final if the dates remain as per the Connacht FA schedule.

“These players, who have served this club so well for the past ten years, will now lose their opportunity to contest their last ever underage game in a Connacht final.

“The players feel let down and upset by an association that claims to promote grass root sport.”

The Connacht FA has not responded to a request for a comment.