Major role for Kent in the CCCC chair for next three years
THE POWERFUL national Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) will be under the chairmanship of Wexford’s Derek Kent for the duration of Larry McCarthy’s presidency of the GAA.
The Cork-born New York-based official took over from Dublin’s John Horan last weekend, beginning his term of office during the remotely-held annual Congress.
And one of his first tasks was to announce the composition of three key sub-committees, with Kent named as the successor to Ned Quinn from Kilkenny at the helm of the CCCC.
This is a major honour for the Taghmon-Camross clubman and former Chairman of Wexford County Board, who will also take over from Offaly’s Pat Teehan as leader of the Leinster Council in 2023.
Kent’s aptitude for fixtures is reflected in his appointment by McCarthy, and he will be joined on the five-strong committee by former Donegal All-Ireland winner and media pundit Martin McHugh of Kilcar, one-time Meath Senior football captain Seamus Kenny from Simonstown Gaels, Mary Judge of the Caherlistrane club in Galway, and John Halbert from Watergrasshill in Cork.
Micheál Martin, who served under Kent as Vice-Chairman of the County Board and succeeded him in the hotseat in December, has hailed his appointment to this prestigious position.
‘I would like to wholeheartedly congratulate Derek on his appointment to national chair of CCCC,’ he said. ‘It is a recognition of Derek’s knowledge and experience that he would be appointed to chair the most significant committee within the GAA.
‘Derek will bring a unique dual county perspective to the position and has a deep understanding of fixtures, having been central to the restructuring of the championships within our own county.
‘Derek’s appointment is also recognition of the enhanced view of Wexford GAA within the association and it is very important that we are represented well at central level.’
Kent, an outspoken critic of the Club Players’ Association (CPA), dealt effectively with unfounded criticism aimed at the County Board during the summer when Wexford finished its main club hurling championships in August before focusing exclusively on the football competitions that were completed in early October.
There was widespread approval for the system deployed from players and clubs alike, with bizarre claims that Wexford played hurling first in order to give the county team a clear run at their campaign exposed for the rubbish that it was at the time by the new CCCC chair.
New President McCarthy also named a nine-strong Central Hearings committee comprising Brian Rennick (Dunderry, Meath), Aoife Farrelly (Trim, Meath), Micheál Og McMahon (Scotstown,
Monaghan), Denis Holmes (Oola, Limerick), Tod O’Mahony (Kiltimagh, Mayo), Gerry Hagan (Killoe Young Emmets, Longford), Seán Dunnion (Four Masters, Donegal), Gerry Larkin (Tynagh/ Abbey-Duniry, Galway), and former inter-county hurling referee Michael Wadding (Roanmore, Waterford).
Matt Shaw of the Clonkill club in Westmeath will head the Central Appeals committee that also features Julie Galbraith (Buncrana, Donegal), Neil Sheridan (Balla, Mayo), Willie O’Connor (Kerins O’Rahillys, Kerry), Tom Farrell (Tang, Westmeath), Eddie Hughes (Crossmaglen Rangers, Armagh), Paul Foley (Patrickswell, Limerick), Gerry Kavanagh (Stradbally, Laois), and Enda Tiernan (Cloone, Leitrim).
One of the more pointless motions passed at the virtual Congress will have a direct impact on Wexford, as delegates agreed not to allow joint captains to accept a trophy together on behalf of a winning team.
Matthew O’Hanlon and Lee Chin lifted the Bob O’Keeffe Cup together after the Leinster Senior hurling final of 2019, and they continued to share the responsibilities of leading the team last year.
There was formal approval for the split-season model between club and county competitions which will lead to the All-Ireland finals taking place no later than mid-July from 2022 onwards.
There was full support for the suggestion from the Fixtures Calendar Review Task Force to begin inter-county competitions in late February and finish in mid-July, with the club window then running to the end of October.
Meanwhile, reactions have been mixed to the passing of a motion that introduces a penalty for cynical fouls in both codes plus a hurling sin-bin.
In hurling, if the cynical foul is either within the 20-metre line or inside the semi-circular arc that extends from the 20-metre line and is judged to have stopped a goalscoring opportunity, then a penalty is awarded and the player who commits the foul is sin-binned for ten minutes.
In football, the sin-bin rule is in force already, but now a penalty will be awarded if a foul which denies a goalscoring chance takes place within the 20-metre line or inside the semi-circular arc that extends from the 20-metre line.
All 37 motions on the clár were passed, with the role of the ‘maor fóirne’ brought to an end. From now on, pitch incursions by anyone apart from a medic – who must be summoned by the referee – will result in a yellow card.
Teams will no longer forfeit a game if they only have 13 players for the start of a second-half, excluding those forced off.
A new concussion substitute rule will be utilised similar to the blood substitute, while waving an arm or hurl in an attempt to distract someone taking a kick-out, puckout or sideline is now a foul.