Charlie Mulgrew's side could be redundant this weekend

Semple Stadium, Thurles
Saturday, 12 June
Throw-in: 1640BST

Fermanagh have a free date afterall this Saturday when All-Ireland opponents Tipperary sensationally pulled out of the Thurles qualifier.

Tipp's withdrawal comes after team boss Andy Shorthall stepped down over the fixing of a club hurling game involving two of his players on Wednesday night.

Fermanagh were originally annoyed at having to play the game only six days after their Ulster exit against Tyrone.

They verbally received word from Croke Park that the match is off.

However, nothing has been officially received from GAA headquarters until written confirmation of Tipperary's withdrawal which occurred on Wednesday when the wholse squad made themselves unavailable.

Tipp are now likely to be hit with repercussions at not fulfilling the fixture with the rules hinting that both the county's hurling and football teams being possibly hit with a 48-week ban.

As it things stand, Tipp are not for moving.

''Tipperary are out of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship,'' PRO Ed Donnelly told BBC Sport.

''The players met to discuss the resignation of their management team, and unanimously decided to make themselves unavailable for selection for Saturday's game.

''In respect of that Tipperary, have withdraw from the All-Ireland Championship. I don't think there is any going back on it.

''The unfortunate consequence of that they now have refused to play on Saturday and were left with the situation to give Fermanagh a walk-over.

''It's a disaster for Tipperary football, a huge set-back, and I don't know where we can go from here.

''I cannot remember a team having to pull out of either a senior football or hurling championship at inter-county level.''

When the Mid Division Board indicated that the club game was going ahead, we quit Andy Shortall

Shorthall's fellow selectors Jim Cahill and Mick Byrnes also stepped down and then subsequently backed en bloc by the whole squad.

Michael Webster and Tom King were the two players involved in the hurling game and the football management felt they had to make a firm stand.

''We were made aware of this game going ahead last week," said Shorthall.

"We offered our resignation on Saturday but were asked to hold off until Monday night when a meeting took place.

"Again we said we were resigning but gave it another 24 hours. When the Mid Division Board indicated that the club game was going ahead we quit."

Shortall said that Webster and King were key members of the squad and that the idea of playing a club game three days before a championship football game was not on.

"They both played against Cork in a recent challenge and were in strong contention," said Shorthall.

Tipps decision sees Fermanagh going straight through to the second round of the qualifiers which is set to be played on 3 July.

Fixtures
All-Ireland qualifiers
Newbridge, Kildare v Offaly, 1430
Clones: Monaghan v Longford, 1630
Ennis, Clare v Sligo, 1630
Dr Cullen Park, Carlow v Down, 1630
Aughrim, Wicklow v Derry, 1630
Drogheda, Louth v Antrim, 1630
Parnell Park, Dublin v London, 1630
Semple Stadium, Tipperary v Fermanagh, 1630 (tbc)