by Mary-Anne McNulty
maryanne@inishtimes.com

The manager of an Inishowen-based Ulster Senior League club has called for a forum so that the problems thrown up by the switch to summer football can be addressed.
Brendan Crummey, boss of Buncrana Hearts, says a formal get-together could help resolve the controversy surrounding the signing of players.
He told Inish Times Sport: “At the moment there is a clear conflict between summer football and the junior leagues, and I think it would be a good thing for all the leagues to come together, under the auspices of the Ulster FA, and work out how to address the situation.”
Last week’s FAI rule stipulating that junior players cannot sign to an intermediate club until their season ends came as a shock to several USL bosses, not least Crummey.
He said : “As far as I was concerned, the January 31 deadline had always been thought of as a professional rule, and didn’t apply to amateurs.
“Certainly, an unwritten rule has always existed where leagues would agree to cancel a player’s registration to enable them to move up to the intermediate arena.”
That ‘gentleman’s agreement’ will no longer happen as a result of the FAI’s stance on transfers.
But though the rule is meant to clarify the situation, it also appears to have stoked the flames of confusion further.
Crummey has contacted the FAI seeking an exact definition of the term ‘end of the season’, while Kildrum Tigers boss Raymond McDaid – desperate to get Redcastle striker Charlie McCormick on board as soon as possible - told us it was also something he would be ‘getting checked out’.
“I’m waiting for written confirmation,” said Crummey, “but I believe that even if a player’s season finishes in early May, he cannot sign for an intermediate side until all other games in his league have been concluded – which is a farcical situation.
“What we need here is a bit of maturity and common sense. “The best thing for all concerned is to come together and discuss the issues so that situations like this can be avoided in future.”