Ex-Sec. notes rise in player offences
AN INCREASE in player offences was highlighted by former Coiste na nOg Secretary, Angela McCormack, in her report which came before the county Convention.
The Clonard club member had resigned from her post in the lead-up to the gathering following a controversial meeting of the County Board. Her resignation along with that of the Chairman, Bobby Goff, was later accepted by the county management committee.
The Secretary’s report was presented to the county Convention by the Vice-Chairperson, Marguerite Furlong.
In it the former officer referred to discipline, stressing that referees’ reports in 2016 showed an increase in player offences and misconduct.
She added that supporters, parents and members are a vital element in successfully participating in all competition, and she urged all to work together to keep discipline issues to a minimum. ‘Wholehearted support from the sidelines is most welcome, but we must all show zero tolerance to unsporting behaviour,’ she added.
On fixtures, the former Secretary said that in 2016, from February 28 to the second week in November, Coiste na nOg provided their under-age players with a fixtures programme of meaningful games of a number and frequency to satisfy players, mentors and parents, and with an awareness that the competition provided needed to be structured in such a way that allowed players to reach their potential.
The fixtures programme, she added, included 20 cup finals, 24 shield finals, and 24 Under-12 shield finals.
To plan and manage those games took a huge effort, and could not have happened without the hard work of their C.C.C., chaired by John O’Neill, with secretarial support efficiently provided by Marion Doyle, assisted by Jack O’Brien, Peter McGuire, Fintan Whyte and Ian Plunkett.
‘We couldn’t thank them enough for the work and effort they put in, not just into our fixtures, but also into our discipline,’ she said.
Incidentally, Plunkett had to withdraw from the committee as the result of a suspension being imposed on him.
She went on to give a detailed outline of the various championships and shields, the involvement of the
inter-county sides, and various aspects of the happenings within Coiste.
She also highlighted the work of the coaching office during 2016,commending their work with the Cúl Camps, with over 5,200 children participating in 46 venues, which was the biggest and most successful camp ever.
In other news from Convention, it was confirmed that Wexford will have 40 teams competing in the national Féile na nGael hurling finals.
The prestigious event will be in held in the county in 2017 from June 16-18, and will be co-hosted with neighbouring counties, Kilkenny and Carlow.
Vice-Chairperson, Marguerite Furlong, said Wexford will have 40 teams competing. Details of teams arriving to individual clubs will come from the national committee.
Coming on the back of the successful hosting of the national Féile Peil in 2015, Wexford are now looking forward to the successful hosting of the hurling with Kilkenny and Carlow. It was last staged in the county in 1984 and 1985.
Meanwhile, all three motions that came before Convention were passed by large majorities. A detailed motion from the Horeswood club calling for change to the current Under-14 knockout stages was easily accepted.
It asked to make alterations for a one-year trial to help alleviate the problem of teams being involved in non-competitive leagues, being either too strong or too weak for a division, while also helping teams who feel they have been graded in the wrong division.
The motion was explained by Horeswood delegate, Brian Molloy, who outlined the one-sided nature of some games this year, which the new format would hopefully prevent.
A motion from Gusserane O’Rahilly’s asking that in the event of an amalgamated team playing a single club and there is a clash of jerseys, the amalgamation have to change even if they have an interdependent set of jerseys, was carried.
Also a motion from Coiste na nOg management requesting that in the case of an amalgamated team, that a designated person from one of the clubs be responsible for fixtures, the payment of fines and the return of cups/ shields etc., was also carried.