by Orla Bannon 

Kilcoo's hearing regarding their expulsion from the Down league final will be heard by the Ulster Council on Thursday night.

The Down county board expelled their five-in-a-row county champions from the competition for refusing to play the final against Castlewellan on Thursday 3rd November. On that date their U21s were playing Downpatrick (Kilcoo won that encounter on a 2-8 to 1-6 scoreline) and it wa also just four days after the Down champions had come through a tough Ulster club SFC quarter-final against Donegal champions Glenswilly.

The Ulster club finalists said they couldn't fulfil the fixture due to concerns over player welfare and offered to play the game tonight (Tues) - which was rejected by the county board.

The Ulster Council Hearings Committee meet on Thursday night.

Kilcoo manager Paul McIver insists the row won't distract them from trying to win an historic first Ulster title.

"We as management and players have talked nothing about the league final," insisted McIver.

"That's left with the committee to sort out, with the Down county board and wherever else it's being taken to.

"We haven't mentioned it.

"We're in an Ulster club final, we're one of the top two teams in Ulster at the minute and that's where we want to be."

Tweet

Most Read Stories