Semi-final postponed as Ballymena take Davidson case to arbitration

The Sky Blues were dismissed from the competition earlier this week after Newry won their appeal that Davidson was ineligible to play in the quarter-final meeting, in which he scored the winning goal in Ballymena’s 2-1 win.

This had followed an earlier decision by the IFA’s Challenge Cup committee which ruled that Davidson had been eligible to play in the game.

Now, Ballymena have taken their case to an Independent Arbitration Panel and because that will not take place before the date of the scheduled semi-final on March 31, IFA chiefs have now postponed the semi-final pending the outcome of the arbitration panel meeting.

An IFA spokesman said: “Details of the Arbitration hearing and Semi-final arrangements will be confirmed in due course.”