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15:45 GMT, Wednesday, 7 May 2008 16:45 UK

Wright and Kirk suspensions cut

Paul Kirk and Tommy Wright

The unprecedented six-match stadium bans handed to managers Tommy Wright and Paul Kirk have both been reduced to four-match touchline bans.

The hefty suspensions were handed out after disturbances at the Carnegie League game between Ballymena United and Lisburn Distillery in March.

Both Wright, who recently stepped down as Ballymena boss, and Distillery boss Kirk appealed against the suspensions.

They assured the Irish FA appeals board that there would be no repetition.

The Irish FA fined both bosses £250 while Ballymena were also been fined a further £1,000.

Wright said that he had been unable to find any example in world football of a boss being banned from an entire stadium.

The stadium ban had extended to a half mile radius of where a match was taking place.

Wright also told BBC Sport that the IFA disciplinary committee had refused to view video evidence from Ballymena United from the match in question.

The IFA committee had apparently decided that Wright and Kirk exchanged blows during the match but both managers had emphatically denying these claims.

Kirk said that he would have accepted the normal touchline ban and spoke of his intention to quit his role as chairman of the Irish League managers' forum.

Missiles, including a leg of lamb were thrown on to the pitch, while the two managers exchanged angry words after the game.




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Related to this story:

Wright and Kirk hit by hefty bans (09 Apr 08 |  Irish )
Lamb leg thrown at football match (24 Mar 08 |  Northern Ireland )
IFA to investigate match trouble (24 Mar 08 |  Irish )
Easter Lamb (24 Mar 08 |  Photo Galleries )
Ballymena 2-2 Lisburn Distillery (22 Mar 08 |  Irish )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
Ballymena United
Lisbirn Distillery
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