Cork City will be without three regular first team players for next Friday's FAI Cup tie against Bohemians at Dalymount Park because of yesterday's postponement of the league tie against Finn Harps at Turners Cross.

The match was called off 90 minutes before kick off when local referee Pat Kelly declared that the water-logged pitch was too dangerous for a match.

Cork would have been without Kelvin Flanagan, Jason Kabia and Stephen Napier had the match gone ahead as all three were completing a two-match suspension.

Instead, they will miss the cup match. Cork manager Dave Barry said: "That is a disappointment for us but how can you protect yourself against this sort of development at this time of year - perhaps we should move to Brazil".

Finn Harps were angry at the late decision to cancel the match which was due in the main to torrential rain that fell overnight.

They claimed they stood to lose about £6,000 in travel and overnight costs for the 700-mile round trip.

Harps had flown in their Scottish based player Sammy Johnston and also included in their squad was the man they signed from Shelbourne on Friday, Pascal Vaudequin.

Referee Kelly said: "There was surface water in most areas and both penalty areas, one of which was too dangerous to allow the match to go ahead."

Match official John Feighery, from Dublin, and his two Waterford assistants, arrived immediately after Kelly's inspection and confirmed his judgment.

In another controversy in the Irish league a top official is involved.

Irish FA president Jim Boyce, who is chairman of Cliftonville, used the public address system at Solitude to publicly berate Bangor match official Davy Malcolm.

Boyce described the decision of Malcolm to abandon the gale-lashed Cliftonville Premier division match with Glenavon in the 58th minute as "ridiculous".

Malcolm took the action, after consulting the captains, because of deteriorating conditions. He was backed by Glenavon club doctor, Stephen Best, who said afterwards there was a real danger of players suffering from hypothermia.

The scores were level at 1-1 and the match is almost certain to be replayed. The game between Glentoran and Ards fell victim to the atrocious weather; but the other three were played to a finish.

Portadown preserved their lead at the top, despite dropping two points after being held to a draw by second bottom club Omagh town.