Kerry lukewarm on Croker call

Board delegates question wisdom of Donegal motion

DESPITE some disquiet nationally about the fact Dublin have two games in Croke Park for the ‘Super 8’ series, support for Donegal’s motion at the upcoming GAA Congress to prevent a team from nominating Croke Park as a ‘home venue’ for the series was lukewarm at last Monday night’s Kerry GAA County Committee Meeting.

Concern was expressed about a lack of tickets for a fixture Dublin might have to play in Parnell Park if passed, while it was also felt that the motion was wrongly put and that not using Croke Park as the venue for the neutral round of ‘Super 8’ games might be a more worthwhile cause to pursue.

In terms of Kerry’s own Round Robin groupings for the club championship competitions the criteria for the staging of the second and third round of fixtures in the group was also confirmed at the meeting.

The winners of two matches designated ‘Match One’ and ‘Match Two’ in a group will not meet each other until the third round of fixtures with the team that wins ‘Match Two’ in the first round having home advantage for the final round of fixtures.

‘Match One’ winners will have home advantage for the second round of fixtures against the loser of ‘Match Two’ with the loser of ‘Match One’ at home in their second fixture against the winner of ‘Match Two’.

County Secretary Peter Twiss also confirmed to delegates that although the start of the competition is laid down for the last weekend in March that will go back to the first weekend in April in the event of Kerry reaching the Allianz League Division 1 Football Final.

That would mean the club championships being played off in five consecutive weekends to meet the playing of the finals on the May Bank Holiday weekend.

Returning to Congress Central Council delegate John Joe Carroll said that the mood nationally is quite mixed towards Valentia’s motion allowing for a county to have a Bye-Law whereby a player ‘who shall have celebrated his 16th birthday prior to January 1 of the championship year may play non-championship games with his club where such club is graded as Junior Championship status with one adult team’.

He said that a lot of counties are happy with the situation whereby 16year olds are not playing adult football at present, but was hopeful the motion might gain support on the day.

No binding positions on motions was given by delegates to the County Committee members who will be representing Kerry at Congress to allow them the chance to hear arguments for and against motions on the floor.

Also, at the Meeting District Board Review Committee Chairman Joe Crowley announced that former County Secretary Éamonn O’Sullivan has joined the sub-committee and they would begin a series of meetings with clubs and district boards around the county.

He said the purpose of such meetings was as a ‘listening exercise’ and they were not seeking confrontation, but he asked clubs to be mindful of school numbers in their local areas and bring any amalgamations over an eightyear period to the meeting.

County Chairman Tim Murphy encouraged clubs to engage with the committee on the matter as he also dismissed a rumour brought up under AOB by Gneeveguilla delegate Bill O’Riordan that Kerry Under 20 panellists will be forbidden from playing County League games with their clubs until the U-20 campaign concludes.

Mr Murphy said the restrictions on Kerry Under 20s playing with their clubs were the same as for senior level, i.e. a two-week period beforehand.