The sporting and security authorities deserve credit for moving swiftly to arrange a new date for the potential meeting of Linfield and Celtic at Windsor Park in Belfast.
It was unthinkable that the Champions League qualifying fixture could have been staged as originally scheduled on either July 11 or 12, a particularly difficult period when policing resources are always fully stretched across the city and beyond.
European football's governing body UEFA indicated last night that, if Linfield survive a preliminary tie with a club from San Marino, Celtic can travel to Belfast for the first leg of the next round on July 14.
There will still be considerable sensitivity surrounding the game but there is now every reason to hope that attention can be be entirely focused on the field on play.
