Originally Posted by
EalingGreen
Technically, perhaps.
But the spirit of the Rule is to protect an Association should it feel it is being messed around by a club. And the League was reassured by the Association that it was not being messed-about, so there is no "victim", so no real transgression.
Of course, Derry's opponents may not like the player being released early by the Association.
Then again, I'm sure Derry didn't like his being called up by the Association in the first place, considering they had a critical match coming up.
That's the way it goes, sometimes - no Rule can ever anticipate every possible eventuality, in which case I personally feel the spirit of the law (common sense)should prevail over the letter (technicality).