GAA’S IN CRISIS
Championship facing chaos if Kildare ejected
In the event of GAA taking the nuclear option, Kildare are expected to take what one sports law expert described yesterday as a ‘strong case’ to the Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA).
That prospect moved ever closer yesterday when the Kildare County Board provoked a crisis within the GAA with official notification that they would not be travelling to Croke Park to fulfil this Saturday’s round three qualifier clash with Mayo, in protest at having the game moved out of St Conleth’s Park.
Sports law expert and former DRA secretary Jack Anderson suggested that Kildare will have a strong legal based case should the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) follow through on its threat to expel them from the Championship for failing to fulfil Saturday’s fixture.
Anderson claimed that on the grounds the CCCC THE All-Ireland Senior Football Championship is facing fixture chaos if Kildare are thrown out of the competition this weekend.
Why has this been allowed to happen without a logical reason from Croke Park? From Back Page
decision was in conflict with the official rule book’s stipulation that home/away venues were in play for the opening three rounds of the football qualifiers, should Kildare seek injunctive relief they would have a ‘strong arguable case’.
Kildare, if thrown out, are almost certain to pursue that route and should they be successful, it would have the potential to throw the All-Ireland schedule out of kilter.
For example, if the DRA were to find in Kildare’s favour — and they have precedent on their side after Kilcoo overturned the decision of the Down CCC to expel them from a competition in 2017 on the grounds that the decision was ‘irrational’ — it could see their game rescheduled for the weekend of July 6/7, when the full round of fourth round fixtures is due to take place.
That would lead to a subsequent disruption of the new quarter-final format which is due to begin on the weekend of July 14/15 and would, at best, ensure that there would be no ‘gap week’ for one of the two Super 8 groups.
Disruption to fixtures is just one of the potential prices to be paid as a result of the fall-out to the CCCC’s decision to strip Kildare of home advantage on Monday.
It has left GAA chiefs with an unprecedented mess on their hands and despite both sides remaining tight-lipped yesterday, there was no suggestion of a resolution.
The decision by Kildare manager Cian O’Neill to cancel a 5pm press briefing led briefly to speculation a deal was in the offing, while there were also reports of a meeting between the two sides last night.
However that was denied by a Kildare County Board source.
Indeed, rather than progress, positions hardened yesterday.
While it was the declaration of CCCC chairman Ned Quinn that it was the threat of ‘animosity’ which would develop between fans over tickets if St Conleth’s Park had been chosen which grabbed the headlines, it was his more mundane explanation that the decision was based entirely on the Kildare venue’s modest 8,000plus capacity which infuriated Lilywhites manager O’Neill.
‘The big question here is why is this happening and I haven’t heard any logical or rational reason from Croke Park as to why this is happening. If they say to accommodate more supporters that’s a financial reason,’ said O’Neill yesterday morning on KFM.
‘We’re here to play football. Unless there is any other reason why St Conleth’s Park is not suitable, then it shouldn’t be entertained. This is a football competition. Not a financial report,’ he fumed.
A source close to the Kildare camp was adamant yesterday that there would be no movement on their side.
‘I can tell you they will be in Newbridge at 7pm and there will be fans there to greet them, too,’ he added.
That prospect is likely to fill Croke Park bosses with dread and they have been left with a logistical mess on their hands.
Both Cavan and Tyrone, who are on the undercard at headquarters on Saturday afternoon, were contacted by Croke Park yesterday and reassured that their game would proceed as planned at headquarters.
However, given that supporters from those counties are paying €25 for a ticket on the basis that their game is part of a double bill, the GAA will have to furnish all ticket holders with a partial refund in the event of the Mayo/Kildare game not taking place as now seems highly likely.
Croke Park declined to reveal how many tickets had been sold for Saturday night’s game but, with the expectation of a significant take-up by Mayo supporters, it is likely to further restrict any possibility that the GAA will bend to Kildare’s demands.
However if the GAA don’t blink, or force Kildare to do so, then the fall-out is likely to extend even beyond the prospect of the Lilywhites taking the CCCC to the DRA and potentially throwing the Super 8s schedule up in a heap. The level of support, which Kildare have received for their stance hints at a deeprooted country-wide disconnect between the GAA’s top brass and its members.
It is one that Kildare boss O’Neill could not resist emphasising yesterday. ‘I think there will be longstanding implications for the organisation,’ he remarked.
‘I really would worry for the integrity of any organisation that starts to compromise on rule and regulations that were passed at Congress, and then tweak them as they go along because it suits their narrative.