Glens lose arbitration case over Irish Cup expulsion

Glentoran's arbitration case against their expulsion from the Irish Cup has been lost.

The Oval club were ejected from the tournament after playing Joe Crowe, who was ineligible, in the 1-0 win in the last eight over Newry City on 5 March.

Glentoran lost their first appeal to the Irish FA but then went on to take their case to arbitration.

The semi-final between Ballymena United and Newry City will now be played on Tuesday 26 April at Mourneview Park.

Crusaders saw off their north Belfast rivals Cliftonville in the opening semi-final on 1 April to book their place in the final, which is scheduled for Saturday, 7 May.

A statement from the IFA read: "The Irish FA can confirm that the arbitrator, Jane Bickerstaff QC, has dismissed Glentoran FC’s arbitration in relation to the club’s dismissal from the Samuel Gelston’s Irish Cup.

This means that the Samuel Gelston’s Irish Cup semi-final will be played at 7.45pm on Tuesday 26 April between Ballymena United and Newry City at Mourneview Park, Lurgan with the final confirmed to take place at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park on Saturday 7 May.

Full written reasons from the arbitrator will follow."

When the Glens were dismissed from the tournament, Newry were then reinstated to the competition after they had made an official protest to the IFA about Crowe's eligibility in the wake of their last eight meeting with Glentoran.

Costs for the arbitration case have been awarded against Glentoran. The full ruling will be published next week.