Devonshire Cougars have been sensationally kicked out of the FA Cup.

Bermuda Football Association chiefs yesterday ordered that the Premier Division runners-up forfeit their semifinal victory over First Division Prospect after they were found to have fielded an ineligible player.

Cougars immediately appealed the decision, but if that move fails on Monday it will mean the team they beat 5-2 in the final four will go through to meet North Village at the National Sports Centre.

After several days of deliberation BFA general secretary David Sabir confirmed what had been rumoured all week, that Cougars' Kori Goddard should not have featured in the Cup tie after having collected a third caution earlier this month.

“After reviewing the team sheet, which is part of the referee's official match report, it was noted that Kori Goddard was a participant in the match for Devonshire Cougars,” Sabir said.

“He was ineligible to participate in this match as a result of receiving his third caution in the game versus Somerset Trojans on March 2.”

Under BFA standing orders, players who are shown the yellow card in three different matches in the same season are automatically suspended for one match from all domestic League and Cup matches.

There had been a suggestion that Cougars' coach Albert Smith had not been made aware of the decision, prior to naming his side.

But the BFA said yesterday that, whether the coach knew or not, the club were informed on March 4, two days after the third caution was issued to Goddard.

“It is important to state that notification regarding the suspension imposed on the player in question was made available to the club on Tuesday, March 4 and (it was) confirmed in writing from the club on Wednesday, March 5 that the information would be passed on to the coach,” Sabir said.

As a result it would seem that the BFA had no other choice but to impose the ultimate sanction. However, an option to also fine the club was not taken up.

“...the (Executive) Committee unanimously ruled that Devonshire Recreation Club were in violation of the above rule and therefore shall forfeit the match,” said Sabir. “It was further decided that there would be no further action taken against Devonshire Recreation Club as a result of this violation.”

Cougars will get the chance to put their case on Monday afternoon.

“Devonshire Cougars have exercised their right of appeal against this decision,” said Sabir. “Therefore, any further details regarding this matter shall be deferred until after the appeal hearing . . .”

Coach Smith was remaining tight-lipped, refusing to say anything until after that meeting.

Sabir, meanwhile, said the decision was not one that had been taken lightly.

“It is most unfortunate that this decision has had to be taken,” he said. “The Association is obligated to administer this ruling in accordance with the regulations that pertain to our League and Cup competitions.”

If Prospect, whose coach David Furbert did not return a call made to him last night, do go through as a result of Cougars' indiscretion it will mark the first time since the 1996/97 season that a First Division club has appeared in an FA Cup final.

Ironically, Prospect also found themselves in hot water yesterday over fielding an ineligible player in an FA Cup semifinal. However, in their case it was their women's team that were at fault.

They were found to have broken the rules in their match with Hemisphere Royals last Sunday and were hit with the same punishment as Cougars. The match had ended scoreless, but Royals will now go through to face the winner of the second semifinal between PHC and Dandy Stars. That game was abandoned after 58 minutes on Thursday when the floodlights failed at Devonshire Rec with the teams locked at 1-1.

Southampton Rangers can pop open the champagne bottles and join Hamilton Parish in the post promotion celebrations at Southampton Oval tomorrow when they play host to lowly Paget in the First Division.

Apart from a recent 1-0 FA Apart from a recent 1-0 FA Cup quarterfinal replay loss to Prospect, Rangers have remained unbeaten in league play since suffering a 2-1 home loss to Hamilton Parish on October 27, and are now within a single point of making a return to a Premier Division they exited at the end of the 2000/01 season.

Current league leaders Parish, meanwhile, travel west to Malabar to face an Ireland Rangers team who are now all but out of the promotion picture after suffering a series of mid-season defeats.

Parish presently hold a slim one point lead and a game in hand over second placed Southampton as the race toward the league championship heats up down the final stretch.

Elsewhere, St.David's take on Wolves at Lord's, while Young Men's Social Club and Prospect meet at Bernard Park. Matches begin at 3 p.m. tomorrow.