Foot and mouth: domestic games cancelled again - March 6,
2001
The FAI has followed the example of other sporting bodies by cancelling this week's programme of Eircom League, FAI Cup, junior and underage fixtures because of the foot-and-mouth disease scare.
It's the second week in a row that the full soccer programme has been cancelled. The FAI is pushing the fixtures back by one week for each week cancelled - so that when soccer eventually resumes, it will resume with last week's cancelled FAI Cup quarter-finals.
Even if the season were to restart next week, it would last until the end of May - but Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh has already indicated that he does not want sporting competitions to resume here until 30 days after the last new case of foot and mouth is discovered in the UK.
Meanwhile, Bohemians yesterday revealed their plans for maintaining their players' fitness levels. They they have arranged two behind-closed-doors friendlies against Dublin clubs and are awaiting the sanction of the Eircom League.
Unfortunately, that sanction is highly unlikely to be forthcoming. Last night the League office issued instructions that even training is to be halted as long as the foot-and-mouth scare lasts.