Castlebar want U17 championship put on hold as Westport appeal upheld

A Mayo GAA club has called for the county's Under 17 A football championship to be put on hold, following an incident at a match last month.

Castlebar Mitchels’ call relates to the abandoned semi-final game it played against Westport on 25 September.

The match was called off after a melee broke out between the opposing teams during the match at Josie Munnelly Park in Castlebar. Video circulating online showed an incident with a Castlebar player and a person who had entered the field of play.

The issue was considered by Mayo GAA’s competition and control committee (CCC) at a meeting earlier this month. It subsequently emerged that a person connected with Westport was given a 96-week ban and the club fined €1,000.

It’s understood the sanction was reduced to a two-match ban after Westport appealed to the Mayo Hearing Committee last week. The fine was upheld.

In a statement posted online, Castlebar Mitchels said it had raised its concerns with the Mayo County Board and with the child and family agency, Tusla. It says it has also contacted Connacht GAA and Croke Park.

The club says it is disappointed with the appeal outcome.

It’s calling for a detailed investigation and has requested that Mayo GAA pause the championship, until this is fully completed.

The fixture between the two clubs was due to be rescheduled by the Mayo CCC at its regular meeting last night but a decision on a new date for the match was postponed.

Neither club is commenting further on the issue at this time.

Croke Park referred queries on the matter to the Mayo County Board. In a brief statement this afternoon, it said it was working with the GAA on a provincial and national level to "address the issues raised."

The incident threatens to overshadow Westport’s