Willow Park vs St Peter's game to be replayed

Last Sunday's CCFL Senior Division match between Willow Park and St Peter's - which was abandoned due to heavy fog - will be replayed, it has been confirmed.

Willow Park were leading the local derby clash 2-1 when the game was abandoned with 79 minutes gone, following consultation between referee Ray Conlon and his officials.

Goals from Bryan Hughes and Tommy Hurley gave the home side a 2-0 lead at half-time, with St Peter's defender Scott Delaney reducing the deficit on 65 minutes.

In a statement posted online, Willow Park FC said it accepted the CCFL's decision regarding a replay and expressed "utmost respect to the match officials on the day for making this difficult decision in very trying conditions".

For their part, St Peter's FC thanked CCFL officials "for their swift decision on the matter".

The general rule in such situations is that a game would be replayed, though some leagues may have a regulation that would see the team leading at the time of an abandonment hold on to that advantage for the refixture.

At present, Willow are second in the Senior Division (the top flight of the CCFL), one point behind Monksland United, with St Peter's in third. But St Peter's have two games in hand on Willow and one on Monksland.

Interestingly, last Sunday's fixture was the first time in several years that the first teams of both clubs met each other in a competitive game. Willow Park have competed in the Leinster Senior League in recent years and St Peter's had had a spell in the Roscommon & District FL, before rejoining the CCFL.

*See this week's Westmeath Independent for a full report on last Sunday's game.