IT is a fixture widely regarded as the most prestigious on the Pembrokeshire sporting calendar.

The Harrison Allen Bowl and Pembs KO Cup finals both generate mass interest from those involved – but nothing in local sport quite brings the county to a standstill like Senior Cup final day.

However, due to unforeseen circumstances, the prospect of this year’s competition not being completed, and players and supporters alike being denied that annual unique day at the Conygar Bridge Meadow Stadium, is becoming a realistic possibility.

Now, I have no interest in passing judgement on the series of events that led to the first round match between Hakin United and Merlins Bridge being abandoned on Saturday, October 11th - I was not present on the day, and the matter is now in the hands of people considerably more qualified to provide jurisdiction than I am.

Nor am I going to start proposing punishments or action against the individuals and teams involved – that is a matter for the Pembrokeshire Football League Association, who no doubt have their own disciplinary procedures and precedents to follow and impose.

But I will suggest that a decision on the outcome of the aforementioned tie needs to be made imminently in order to ensure completion of this season’s competition.

As it stands, round two qualifiers Neyland patiently await the outcome, while Haverfordwest Cricket Club are already through to the last eight, knowing they could yet face one of three different opponents. It has been mentioned in some quarters that both sides should be removed from the competition, or at least asked to withdraw, so that the outstanding second round and quarter final matches can be concluded.

However, it’s not a view that I can endorse or agree with.

I fully understand the whole situation presents a difficult dilemma for organisers, and they have opted not to take action until certain legal processes have taken their course. But such processes can take months and months to come to a head – and in all likelihood, they will not be in a position to make a decision until it is too late.

If either side (or both) was going to be removed from the Senior Cup, a decision would have to have been made swiftly and with a great deal of conviction.

I fear that if such action was taken now, the intention would not be to deliver justice, but purely to ensure the competition is completed on time. Furthermore, excluding any team prior to a court decision, could backfire spectacularly if the British justice system later concludes that their actions did not merit wrongdoing.

Instead, I offer a solution which I readily accept will not be universally popular.

I would allow both sides to replay the cup tie, and do so almost immediately. If at a later date, the legal process is completed and the Pembrokeshire Football League believe they should follow up the outcome with their own action – then they can do so with measures that do not affect the completion of the Senior Cup.

Furthermore, if Hakin United or Merlins Bridge were foolish enough to seriously transgress in the replayed game, then be it on their heads.

Of course, to an extent this would be harsh on The Wizards, who actually led the tie 2-1 before referee Kevin Bowen made the decision to call an early halt to proceedings. Had the game been deep or even midway into the second half, then there would be a genuine argument for awarding them victory.

However, unfortunately for them, a one goal advantage after 24 minutes is not enough to suggest a win was inevitably forthcoming.

There will be many, with justification, who will argue that allowing a repeat fixture misses the point, and exonerates those who they feel should be punished for whatever did or did not go on during the opening stages of the cup tie.

But the alternative, which realistically is that the competition will end void and incomplete for the 2014/2105 season, benefits no one.

It does not benefit Angle FC, who have performed heroics to book their place in the final four. It does not benefit the other five sides left in the competition, who all harbour genuine hopes of re-writing club history with a final appearance.

And of course, it does not benefit the hundreds of local football lovers who look forward to turning up to the Senior Cup final on a Saturday in April.

To clarify, I have every sympathy with cup organisers who have been presented with a conundrum that they could not have envisaged – and I don’t envy their task of having to reach an amicable conclusion.

But irrespective of their intentions, if a decision is not taken swiftly, then this season the showcase competition in Pembrokeshire football is at serious risk of descending into farce.