CORK’S AIDAN WALSH and Donegal’s Michael Boyle remain in the dark as to whether they are eligible to line out for DCU in this year’s Sigerson Cup.
The pair were set be involved in a DRA hearing last night on the issue.
But TheScore.ie understands that due to ‘procedural issues’ the hearing had to be deferred.
It is now hoped to reconvene it before next Monday with both the players and DCU anxious to clarify the issue as soon as possible.
DCU are set to make their 2013 Sigerson Cup bow next Tuesday with a trip to Limerick to face UL in their preliminary round clash.
The duo are high-profile casualties of a new ruling by the GAA’s Higher Education Board last October which stipulates that players have studied for six years or taken more than two colleges courses from playing football or hurling at third level.
Walsh had previously enrolled in two courses in Cork IT and thus cannot play for DCU, which he has started attending this year to study a course in Physical Education and Biology with a view to go in to teaching.
Termon club man Boyle, the sub netminder during Donegal’s route to All-Ireland senior football glory last September, is similarly ineligible.
DCU goalkeeper Michael Boyle. Pic: INPHO/Donall Farmer
Boyle has an excellent track record in the Sigerson Cup having claimed winners medals in the 2010 final win over UCC and the 2012 decider victory against NUI Maynooth.
Walsh in contrast has yet to line out for DCU in a competitive game and the uncertainty has created a frustrating situation for the Kanturk club man.
“It’s disappointing in the sense that what’s stopping me is a course I did for five months,” revealed Walsh when speaking yesterday at the launch of Setanta Sports coverage of the Allianz Leagues.
“I dropped out of it in Cork IT and then went back to do Recreation and Leisure. It seems a bit ridiculous that they count a course that you actually did for only five months.
“Everyone’s on about it, people have been texting me and ringing me. It’s kind of annoying that I don’t know what’s going on. I played in one challenge game against the Dublin U21′s.
“I’ve been training with the lads for the last few months. It’s nice to be able to play a game with them. We’d no full-back at the time so they actually put me in full-back. Myself and Fintan Curran, we swapped for a half each.
It’s been going on a while now and I just want to get the verdict and move on. It’s not nice for the lads on the team either. If I can’t play, I can’t play.”
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