The ongoing saga surrounding the eircom League Premier Division match between Bohemians and Shelbourne back in August will go in front of an arbitration hearing this Friday where Michael Collins SC will preside.

The Association received a request from the eircom League today to hold an arbitration hearing into the recent FAI Appeal Board decision where the three-man committee ordered the fixture to be replayed after Bohs fielded under-21 international Jason McGuinness when he should have been serving a suspension.

Derry City, who are Shelbourne's closest rivals in the title race, were infuriated by this decision. The league campaign is due to finish on Friday week and currently Shelbourne sit top, three points clear of Derry who, because of this ruling, now don't have the benefit of their one game in hand.

Derry manager Stephen Kenny said recently "it would be the biggest scandal that's been in Irish football in years" should the game be replayed.

"It would be a scandal in European football terms to say that a team loses, gets a replay and then gets three points," added Kenny referring to the infamous match in which Bohemians beat Shelbourne 2-1.

Shelbourne, on the otherhand, had earlier appealed the decision to simply deduct three points from Bohemians when Uefa precedents suggests the opposition could be awarded a 3-0 victory. This appeal was initially heard by the FAI Appeal Board almost three weeks ago.

Given the number of permutations it's little wonder the issue has gone to arbitration after a long league campaign and with so much at stake. Should Friday's hearing prove unsatisfactory for any of the involved parties, there is the prospect of taking the legal route to the High Court.