The Antrim senior football squad has taken the extraordinary step of writing a letter voicing their “anger and extreme frustration” at their own County Board, writes Stephen Barry.

The letter stems from an alleged off-the-ball incident, which occurred between the Saffrons and near-neighbours Armagh in the penultimate round of the Football League last month.

Croke Park officials sought to identify the Antrim player involved from footage captured at the match, but county management and two County Board members “agreed that the player could not be identified with total certainty”.

Subsequently, the letter alleges, the player was identified by the County Board, leading to a one-game suspension which could rule him out of Antrim’s Championship opener against Donegal on May 21.

The Irish News, who obtained a copy of the letter which was signed by all 34 members of the squad, understand that forward Matthew Fitzpatrick was the player who has been suspended.

They intend to appeal the suspension for a second time (it was re-imposed after an initially successful appeal), and ask for the full support of the board and representatives “who are purportedly in a position of support”.

James Laverty and Matthew Fitzpatrick (right)

The letter reads:

“We, the Antrim senior county footballers, are writing to you as a collective to voice our anger and extreme frustration at the recent decision taken by members of our county board.

“This decision identified a member of our team for an alleged incident that occurred against Armagh on March 25, 2017.

“Croke Park officials issued an image of the alleged incident and requested the player to be named.

“County management and two members of the county board reviewed the image and it was agreed that the player could not be identified with total certainty.

“Subsequently, the player was then identified, without consulting county management. This resulted in a suspension which was later successfully appealed. It was only after the county board identified this player a second time that a second suspension was issued.

“As a result, the player in question could potentially miss the biggest game of the year against Donegal in the Ulster Championship.

“We find it unacceptable that not only was this player suspended as a result of information provided by our own county board but that there was no county representative available to accompany him for his appeal.

“We do not believe this course of action would occur in any other county.

“Unfortunately, as a team, we cannot stand by and allow this mistreatment of our team-mate.

“We feel we need to make our concerns clear to our county board that we find it completely unacceptable that any player who dedicated months of hard work and sacrificed many parts of his life to represent his county should be treated in this way and let down by representatives who are purportedly in a position of support.

“This decision will be contested again and we would expect full support from our county board in this matter.

“Faithfully, Antrim senior football team.”