GPA favour changing rule on ‘Super 8s’ venues

THE GPA would back a rule change, effectively giving the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) the power to play one of two ‘Super 8s’ games involving Dublin away from Croke Park.

As the rules stand, Dublin can use Croke Park as a home and a neutral venue, a position endorsed by Congress last weekend.

Donegal’s proposal that no county be allowed to nominate Croke Park as a home venue was beaten on 64-36 per cent majority note. It arose from their dissatisfaction over having to play Dublin in Croke Park in last year’s Super 8s.

The rules specifically mention Croke Park as the venue for the ‘neutral’ round and can only be changed by Congress, a situation that does not find favour with the GPA.

“It’s the GPA’s position that the neutral games in the Super 8s should be decided by the CCCC (and not be pre-designated as Croke Park).

“This reinforces the rationale for our motion to Congress this year to have a player representative on the CCCC – a motion that was voted down by Congress last weekend,” said a GPA statement in response to queries from the Irish Independent.

In relation to balloting its members on the Donegal proposal, the GPA stated that its National Executive Committee decided on how they would vote on all of the motions.

“It does not, as a matter of course, consult the broad membership on every motion that comes before Congress. However, the elected members of the committee take a position that reflects the membership as a whole.

“If, in exceptional circumstances, consensus cannot be reached on any particular motion, we then ballot the broad membership. This was not the case with regard to this year’s motions.”

The GPA declined to say how chairman Seamus Hickey, who represented them at Congress, voted on the Donegal motion. He did not contribute to the debate, having earlier proposed that the GPA be given a seat on CCCC for fixture-making purposes.