Ringmahon Rangers withdrew from their FAI Cup clash with Bohemians as it clashed with the All-Ireland final
18:06, 04 Jul 2026Updated 17:36, 05 Jul 2026
Cork manager Ben O’Connor dejected in the final minutes of the game against Galway(Image: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne)
Ringmahon Rangers joked they were looking for a pre-season friendly on the day of the All-Ireland final after giving Bohemians a walkover in the FAI Cup on the same date.
The Cork club withdrew from their scheduled second-round tie with the Dublin side after the game was fixed for Sunday, July 19 – the same day as the All-Ireland hurling final.
Cork were huge favourites to beat Galway in Saturday’s semi-final at Croke Park, but lost by a score of 2-26 to 1-18 as the Tribesmen stunned the Rebels.
A tweet on Ringmahon Rangers’ X account shortly after the full-time whistle read: “Senior looking for pre season friendly…plans have changed…willing to travel 19th July. DM for more info.”
The club announced they were withdrawing from the game earlier in the week, saying in a statement: “Following the FAI Senior Cup draw, we were delighted to be drawn at home against one of the most prestigious clubs in the country, Bohemians FC.
“Under competition rules, the home club is responsible for setting the date and time of the fixture. Following the draw, discussions took place between Ringmahon Rangers, Bohemians FC, and the FAI regarding potential scheduling issues arising from Bohemians’ European commitments. There was also the possibility of a three-week delay depending on the outcome of Bohemians’ subsequent European draw.
“Last Thursday, the FAI informed us that the fixture had been scheduled for 2:00pm on Sunday, 19 July. However, due to competition regulations, the match could not be played at Ringmahon Rangers’ home ground while other team games v League of Ireland opposition have been allowed to be played at our home ground.
“Following discussions with the Munster Football Association, we were informed that Turner’s Cross would not be available that weekend. We then explored the possibility of staging the game in Cobh, with concerns over reduced attendance due to a potential clash with a Cork GAA fixture and the FIFA World Cup Final later that day, created significant difficulties.
“In an effort to find a workable solution, we proposed several alternative dates to the FAI, including Friday, Saturday, and Monday of the same weekend. We also offered to play the fixture the previous week or at any suitable date before the next round of the competition.
“We subsequently received correspondence from the FAI confirming that these requests had been declined and that the fixture details were to be finalised by 12:00pm on Monday.
“As a club, we feel we were treated unfairly and placed in an impossible position. Given the logistical challenges, player availability issues, logistical issues with staging the match approximately 30 minutes from our home venue on an already congested sporting weekend, we felt we had no viable option but to withdraw from the competition.
“This is an outcome that deeply disappoints everyone associated with Ringmahon Rangers. We would like to thank our players, supporters, volunteers, and sponsors for their continued support and understanding.”