MUNSTER FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
GENERAL CUP RULES
1. The trophies shall be competed annually by eleven members of each competing team who are duly qualified according to the rules of the association. While the players in each team may be changed, no individual shall play for more than one team in each of the competitions during any one season, and he must be a registered playing member of the club. Registration shall be the league registration, but a player must be signed and registered at least 14 days for his club before the cup match in question to be eligible.
1(a) Teams playing in Saturday leagues may play their games on Saturday’s when favoured with a home draw up to and including the ¼ final ties.
2. The entrance fee must be paid before the specified closing date for entries as decided by council.
3. A team may at its discretion use three from five named substitute players at any time in a cup match except to replace a player who has been suspended from the game by the referee. A substitution can only be made when play is stopped for any reason and the referee has given permission. Only three substitutions by each side will be permitted in any match and the name of the substitute players must be entered on the referees card prior to kick off.
4. If the council has any doubt as to the qualification of any player taking part in the competition, it shall call upon the team to which he belongs, or for which he has played to prove to their satisfaction that he is properly qualified and failing such proof, the council shall have the power to disqualify such player and if necessary remove such team from the competition and or impose a fine.
5. Players in each competing team must wear the registered colours of the club for which they are playing except when opposing teams have similar colours, in which case the visiting team shall have choice. A goalkeeper must wear a shirt or sweater of different colour, provided that said shirt or sweater is of a colour distinctive from that of his opponents. Referees shall have power to instruct a player to change his shirt or sweater if they consider the colours not quite distinctive from that of his opponents. Referees shall have the power to deal with any player refusing to comply with their instruction in this respect.
6. The names of the teams entered for the competition shall be placed in one lot or lots as the council may decide and shall be drawn and played in couples. The first team drawn in each couple to be considered the home team, but the council shall have the right to decide the venue on which the tie is to be played.
7. The council shall have the power to exempt any number of teams from any number of rounds and byes may be given so that four teams shall compete in the semi-finals.
8. When a game is not played at the 1st attempt at a venue because of ground or weather conditions, the game will be reversed to the away venue. This will also apply if a game is commenced but not concluded because of ground or weather conditions. This rule is not applicable to semi-finals and finals.
9. In the event of one of the competing teams lodging a protest that the ground of their opponent is not fit to be played upon, a committee of inspection shall be appointed by the council to investigate and decide the question, all expenses to be paid by the club decided against. This protest must be lodged with the Hon.Secretary of the association four days prior to the date of the match accompanied by a fee of €127. The decision of the officially appointed referee as to the fitness of the ground on the day of the match will be final.
10. The council through the Leagues shall arrange all fixtures and appoint the referees up to and including the ¼ finals. The council shall have the right to appoint the referees and assistant referees in the semi-finals and final.
11. The cup committee shall have the power to re-arrange any matches and to appoint referees and assistant referees in case of any emergency.
12. In the case of the appointed referee not attending the match and the two teams agreeing to one on the ground, such referee shall be considered as official for the match provided he/she is a registered referee with FAI.
13. Any team refusing or failing to play the team against which it has been drawn on the date fixed by the council and without sufficient reasons for so doing, shall be adjudged to have lost the match and otherwise dealt with as the council may determine.
14. No team shall have power to break or postpone a fixture and any team that does so may be adjudged to have given a walk-over. In the event of the two teams agreeing to postpone a match without covering authority, the council shall have power to fine and / or expel both from the competition. Any club adjudged to have given a walkover, shall be removed from the competition and may be fined up to a maximum of €500.
15. The secretary or other responsible person of contesting teams shall before the match, fill in on the card supplied by the referee the surnames and full Christian names of his team plus the substitutes. The number of the players Jersey must correspond with the number his name is beside on the referee’s card.
16. When it can be proved that the partisans of the team which have choice of ground, systematically interfere with the play of opposing teams by using improper language or inciting the home team to use violence to their opponents, on the application of the team which is to play against the said team, the association shall have power to order the match to be played on another ground, neutral if possible.
17. The council shall have power to deal with any team or member of any team whose conduct may be deemed objectionable in any matches played.
18. Protests must be received by the Hon.Secretary of the association per registered letter bearing postmarks within four days (Saturday’s, Sunday’s and Bank Holiday’s excluded) after the match accompanied by the correct fee as laid down by the MFA which shall be forfeited in all cases where the protest has not been sustained. An exact copy of the protest must be sent to the Hon.Secretary of the club protested against per registered letter at the same time as that to the Hon.Secretary of the association. The onus of proof shall rest with the protesting team.
18a. All protests must be lodged in accordance with Rule 22 of the General rules of the Munster Football Association.
19. Teams playing ineligible players will be fined for each offence and may be removed from the competition.
20. Teams changing their Hon.Secretary, or registered colours, or Hon.Secretaries changing their addresses are required to advise the Hon.Secretary of the association of the alteration at once.
21. In all matches with the exception of the semi-finals and final the gate receipts shall be divided equally between the competing teams after payment of the match officials fee and expenses. The home team shall be bound to furnish the opposing team with a detailed statement of receipts and expenditure within four days of the match. Every facility must be given to the opposing team to check the gate receipts on the day.
22. In the final tie the receipts after the payment of all expenses including medals and travelling expenses, shall be divided in the proportion of 33% to the association and 33% to each of the competing teams. In the event of a replayed final the receipts after the payment of all expenses shall be divided in the proportion of 33% to the association and 33% to each of the competing teams.
23. In the open round stages of the Junior and Youth Cups all matches must be played on an enclosed ground where dressing facilities are available. If the home team cannot supply an enclosed ground the match shall switch to the away side’s enclosed ground.
An enclosed ground is defined as a ground where access can only be gained through official entrances and where spectators are separated from the playing area by ropes and / or railings. The executive committee shall be final arbiter on whether a ground is or is not an enclosed ground.
24. Referees appointed to act in this competition are entitled to fees as decided by the FAI.
25a A player that receives four cautions during the course of a competition incurs a suspension from the next domestic competitive club match. A player shall be fined €5 for every caution received.
25b Any player sent off in a match in these competitions automatically incurs a suspension from the next domestic competitive club match. A player sent from the field of play shall serve an automatic suspension at the same level of club football. (i.e. a player sent from the field of play in a 1st team fixture may not serve an automatic suspension in a reserve team fixture and vice-verse) Following receipt of the referees report the disciplinary committee may at its discretion extend the duration of the suspension and / or impose fines.
NOTE: There is no appeal against an automatic suspension except in the case of mistaken identity.
26a Any player sent off in a match in these competitions may submit a written explanation to the Hon. Secretary of the Association within four (4) days of the sending off. If no explanation is received then the case may be tried solely on the referees report.
26b A player may seek to have a personal hearing of his case, by applying in writing to the Hon. Secretary of the Association within four (4) days of the sending off.
27a. Matches in these competitions can be played with the use of artificial lighting provided they are installed as per FIFA directives for Leagues and clubs (class 2) as may be revised from time to time.
27b. Matches in these competitions can be played on an artificial turf surface provided that the installed product complies with FIFA/UEFA artificial turf manual which is subject to ongoing revision and has been sanctioned by the FAI as been fit to play on.
28. The council shall have power to alter these rules but in no case shall they do so until after the final tie in any year has been played.
SENIOR CUP RULES
(These rules to apply in conjunction with the General Cup Rules.)
1. The cup shall be called the “Munster Football Association Senior Challenge Cup”.
2. The Chairman and Hon.Treasurer shall be for all intents and purposes the legal owners of the Cup in trust for the association.
3. This competition shall be open to all affiliated National League and Munster Senior League intermediate clubs, winners of the Premier Junior League competition in affiliated Leagues and finalists of Munster Junior Cup. A Junior player assisting a Junior club in this competition or the FAI Senior Cup shall not be adjudged to have lost his Junior status by playing in these competitions.
3(a) No club may field more than one team in this competition.
4. The duration of each match shall be 90 minutes. The match must be started at the time appointed by the council, but no protest will be upheld for early or late starting unless the council is satisfied that the result of the match was affected thereby. The referee shall have power to allow extra time for stoppages, his decision thereon to be final. When a game finishes level after 90 minutes, 10 minutes each way extra time is to be played. In the event of a drawn match being still undecided on goals after extra time, the match will be decided by each side taking five penalties. If still undecided, each team shall take penalties alternatively until a result is reached.
5. In the semi-final ties the net gate receipts of each game shall be divided in the proportion of one-third to the association and the remaining two-thirds between the two competing teams.
JUNIOR CUP RULES
(These rules to apply in conjunction with the General Cup Rules.)
1. The cup shall be called the “Munster Football Association Junior Challenge Cup” and is the property of the association.
2. (a) The competition shall be annual and shall be open to all affiliated Junior teams in the province of Munster and any such teams at the discretion of council. Players who have during the current season competed in the FAI Senior Cup, Divisional Association’s Senior Cup, FAI Intermediate Cup or other competitions of a similar status shall not be eligible to take part in this competition subject to rule 2c & 2d below. A Junior player may take part in not more than a total of five Intermediate or National League grade matches or a combination of matches in these grades during the current season without losing his Junior status subject to rule 2(e). For the purpose of this rule National League matches shall include games in the National League, League Cup, Shield, “A” Championship andNational Under 20 League/Cup competitions.
For the purpose of this rule also, a player under 20 years of age who plays in the National Under 20 League or Cup competitions shall not be adjudged to have lost his Junior status by playing more than 5 games at this level.
2. (b) For the purpose of these rules the National League season shall be the year in which the Junior season starts.
2. © A Junior player assisting a Junior club in the Provincial Senior Cup competition or the FAI Senior Cup shall not be adjudged to have lost his Junior status by playing in these competitions.
2.(d) A Junior player assisting an Intermediate club in the FAI Senior Cup between June 1st and August 1st shall not be adjudged to have lost his Junior status.
2. (e) Any player who plays more than 5 games at National League or Intermediate level in the current season may be re-graded by his League and notice of this re-grading must be forwarded to the MFA Secretary by registered post by the League concerned. No team may play more than 4 players re-graded in the current season in any one Junior Cup game. All applications for re-grading must be made prior to the 31st January in accordance with FAI rules.
3. The trophy shall be competed annually by eleven members of each competing team who are duly qualified according to the rules of the association. While the players in each team may be changed, no individual shall play for more than one team in the competition during any one season, and he must be a registered playing member of the club for which he proposed to compete. Registration shall be the Junior league registration of the player when teams are competing in Junior League football.
4. The duration of each match shall be 90 minutes. The match must be started at the time appointed by the council, but no protest will be upheld for early or late starting unless the council is satisfied that the result of the match was affected thereby. The referee shall have power to allow extra time for stoppages, his decision thereon to be final. When a game finishes level after 90 minutes, 10 minutes each way extra time is to be played. In the event of a drawn match being still undecided on goals after extra time, the match will be decided by each side taking five penalties. If still undecided, each team shall take penalties alternatively until a result is reached.
5. In the semi-final ties the net gate receipts, after payment of all expenses shall be divided in the proportion of one-third to the association and the remaining between the two competing teams. In the event of a replayed semi-final the receipts after the payment of expenses shall be divided in proportion of one-third to the association and one-third to each of the competing teams.
YOUTH CUP RULES
(These rules to apply in conjunction with the General Cup Rules.)
1. The cup shall be called the “Munster Football Association Youths Challenge Cup”.
2. The competition shall be open to all Youth teams in the Youth leagues in Munster.
3. No individual shall be allowed to play for more than one competing team during the competition, but the members of any team may be changed during the series of matches.
4. All players must be under the age of 18 years on the 1st January of the year the season commences and must be registered by the team with the Youth league in which they participate. Any club participating in this competition shall have the right to secure on request a photograph of the opposing team and the signatures of any player participating in the match. Failure to comply with this request will render the club liable to disciplinary action by the council and possible removal from the competition.
5. In relation to rule 18 of General Cup Rules the postmark is to be taken as evidence of time of posting. Certificate of Birth, required by protesting club if the protest is proved under age, must be paid for by the protesting club. A period of 48 hours after receipt of protest shall be afforded to the team protested against to lodge a counter protest. The onus of proof shall rest with the protesting team.
6. The duration of each match shall be 90 minutes. The match must be started at the time appointed by the council, but no protest will be upheld for early or late starting unless the council is satisfied that the result of the match was affected thereby. Council shall have the power to fine any team or teams responsible for late starting. The referee shall have power to allow extra time for stoppages, his decision thereon to be final. When a game finishes level after 90 minutes, 10 minutes each way extra time is to be played. In the event of a drawn match and being undecided on goals after extra time, the match will be decided by each side taking five penalties. If still undecided, each team shall take penalties alternatively until a result is reached.
7. In the semi-final ties the net gate receipts, after payment of all expenses shall be divided in the proportion of one-third to the association and the remaining between the two competing teams. In the event of a replayed semi-final the receipts after the payment of expenses shall be divided in the proportion of one-third to the association and one-third to each of the competing teams.