Two-year ban for Oldcastle Utd player

According to the North East Football League, Oldcastle Utd will have to make a special application for affiliation if the club intends to participate in the 2016 / 2017 season following Tuesday night's disciplinary meeting at which a two-year ban was imposed on Robert Pakenham, a player with Oldcastle Utd.

Another Oldcastle player, Alan McCann, was suspended until 20th September while Trim Town player Martin Costello was suspended until 30th August. The mandatory €20 fine was also imposed on each of the suspended players.

The suspensions are open to appeal to the Leinster Football Association in accordance with their rules.

The decisions were made following investigations from an adjourned meeting the previous week that probed incidents at a NEFL Div 2 game in Oldcastle on Sunday 8th May between Oldcastle Utd and Trim Town.

A number of Trim Town players sustained injuries during the game.

It is understood that an Oldcastle player had been sent off on four occasions this season.

It was also alleged that an Oldcastle player lined out for the club while under suspension (not on 8th May) and, allegedly, was red-carded in that particular game.

During the early days of the Meath & District League (now North East Football League) Oldcastle Utd was one of the top clubs winning the Div 1 (now Premier) title on two occasions in 1988 and 1989 and also winning a Div 1A title in 1992.

The club also supplied a number of players for Oscar Traynor teams during that period.

The matter could be raised at the forthcoming annual general meeting of the NEFL which is scheduled for Tuesday 31st May at the Ardboyne Hotel, Navan.