• Division 1 reprieve for NY Shamrocks after protest proves successful
• First hurdle cleared as attention now turns to potential appeals process
• Club President Sean Mc Mullan welcomes a ‘fair play’ decision

It has been confirmed by the Cosmopolitan Soccer League that an official protest filed by the NY Shamrock Soccer Club in relation to a recent Division 1 game at Polonia NY has been upheld by the CSL Arbiter, opening out the possibility of top flight survival.

The Arbiter accepted the Shamrocks’ claim that on Sunday May 15, a suspended player lined out for Polonia NY in their 1-0 victory over the Shamrocks in what was a critical relegation six-pointer.

The evidence submitted to the arbiter based on the Polonia coaching staff’s decision to play the individual in spite of his suspension was deemed worthy enough to award a 3-0 forfeit to the Shamrocks, thus potentially reversing the disappointment of relegation.

Polonia NY have the right to appeal. The player in question will receive a two-game suspension.

NY Shamrock Soccer Club President Sean Mc Mullan welcomed the development.

“This is a decision in favor of fair play,” he said. “Kevin Grogan, Stevie Doyle and their players worked hard all year and they deserve to remain in the top division of the Cosmopolitan Soccer League. We will adhere to the next steps and we hope to have this outcome finalized as soon as possible.”

Shamrocks Technical Director and first team coach Kevin Grogan paid tribute to his players

“We were joint third at Christmas having played everyone once,” pointed out Grogan.

“In the New Year, the way the schedule was formatted forced us to play all the big money clubs again while many of the teams below us played the lower teams. We competed in every game though and we built a squad of young players with an average age of 24. We built for the future and that is what I felt was the right approach to the job.

Shamrocks coach Kevin Grogan

“The players were amazing all year and more then deserve to stay up. They 100% earned it and so did the club. Based on any other year with the normal format, we would have been safe at Christmas.

“I want to thank the board for all their support and also go on record that it has been a real honor for me to be involved in the club. It started as a job but now it is way more then that for me.

“I made some tough decisions and maybe offended a lot of people along the way due to those decisions but I learned from the greatest manager of all time that a coach cannot attach emotion to any of these decisions. They were made in the best interests of the club and its long term success.

“John Riordan has been the ultimate pro during the whole season and Sean Mc Mullan has shown an energy and enthusiasm that any club in the world would want. I feel today should be about the players’ effort, the amazing job Stevie Doyle has done and also the legacy of what is arguably one of the greatest amateur clubs in the world. It’s not great because of what has happened this season but because of what has happened since 1960.”