Secretary calls for end to divisiveness
experienced events like this year. Usually decisions of management are taken as done even if all members don’t agree. Confidentiality is of the utmost importance, but leaks seemed to be more normal than usual.
‘This year although split decisions happened, as is usual, some members of management openly didn’t support the decision at county committee without wishing their disagreement to be minuted. One member of management continued to bring matters to county committee without reference to management and misrepresent what was happening. This cannot continue.’
Also in his report, Flynn lauds the achievement of county hurling teams in 2016, during which the Christy Ring Cup was won for the first time, the U-21s won the All-Ireland B and the Minors reached the All-Ireland B Final. He highlighted the the controversy in the Christy Ring Final when both the scoreboard and the referee had the final score wrong and the game had to be replayed after Meath had been presented with the cup.
‘New procedures need to be put in place to ensure a repeat of this cannot happen in the future,’ Flynn said in his report.
‘Meath queried a disputed point by Sean Heavey and why Hawkeye was not called upon. Fergal McGill (Croke Park) explained the protocols for the working of Hawkeye and if there was a mistake it would have been picked up.’
Flynn said that for 2017 there are a number of proposals coming before the county committee regarding the running of championships and urged clubs to discuss them thoroughly so that there is no repeat of 2016 when sweeping changes were adopted for the various championships and subsequently overturned.
‘There is a lot of disquiet on the club scene about the fixture situation and the impact county fixtures have on the club. To this effect a number of proposals will come before Congress 2017, most notably a proposal from our Ard Stiúrthóir Páraic Ó Dufaigh. Again I would urge all officers and clubs to study these carefully and see how they impact on our club scene.’
Meath’s O’Byrne Cup win is also highlighted and Mick O’Dowd, who stepped down as senior football boss after four years was thanked for his commitment.