CLIFTONVILLE FC’S REQUEST for God Save The Queen not to be played before tomorrow’s Irish Cup final against Coleraine at Windsor Park in Belfast has been turned down.
The Irish FA held a meeting last night to consider the request but decided not to grant it while revealing they will conduct a future review of the issue.
The official statement they released read:
“Following a written request from Cliftonville Football Club, the board of the Irish Football Association met tonight (3 May) and considered the playing of the National Anthem at the Irish Cup Final.
“The members expressed sympathy for Cliftonville’s position but decided that the current board policy, agreed in August 2013, should stand.
“Therefore, the National Anthem will be played before the match. The board also committed to conducting a future stakeholder review of the issue.”
In response Cliftonville stated:
“Cliftonville Football Club note tonight’s Irish Football Association statement following the decision of the majority of the IFA Board in regards to the playing of an anthem at this year’s Irish Cup Final.
“We will be making no further comment until after the final.”
The anthem was previously dropped for cup deciders in 2009 and 2013 that Cliftonville featured in.
Tomorrow’s match kicks off at 2.30pm with Cliftonville aiming to lift the trophy for the fist time since 1979 while Coleraine last triumphed in this competition in 2003.
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