Derriaghy have been banned from receiving a home draw in next year’s National Cup after crowd trouble at last year’s final at The Lawn.

The NCU club, relegated from the Premiership this season, beat Cliftonville Academy in the decider in August but the game was interrupted when a section of the Derriaghy support confronted a fielder when he was retrieving the ball.

The game was held up after a big hit from Craig Lewis went into the crowd at deep mid-wicket and it needed an intervention by the long-serving player to calm the situation.

The first time that Derriaghy are drawn at home in the next two seasons, they will have to forfeit that advantage, although if they do not get a home tie, the ban will be deemed to have been spent after the 2025 competition.