Hopefully fixture shambles will dictate the correct scheduling of SHC fixtures

IT is easier to do things right than to do things wrong or do nothing at all.

Unfortunately, because in so many instances things are not done right in Wicklow GAA, many people have concerns about the regularity of mistakes that are made.

I know and appreciate that a lot of personnel in the organisation are volunteers and give a considerable amount of their free time to serving the county but once they put their names forward for election for any position they then have to take responsibility to do things right as much as possible.

Yet again this week we had Wicklow GAA to the forefront of both local and social media and regrettably, again, for all the wrong reasons.

I had first hand experience of one such unwelcome episode.

The SHC game between St. Pat’s and Avondale was fixed for Monday, September 12 in Greystones.

There was already considerable confusion as to what time this game was officially fixed for as at different stages of the week times of 7.30pm, 8pm, 8.15pm and 8.30pm were circulated in correspondence from the County Board.

In fact, on the night, Avondale were of the opinion that the game was due to start at 8pm while the last correspondence St. Pat’s received was that the game was due to start at 8.15pm.

When the teams arrived in Greystones they were met by a field full of young enthusiastic juvenile players which, if we hadn’t a SHC game to play, would have been a wonderful sight.

The future looks very bright for Eire Og going by the very impressive number of children enjoying themselves in their excellent grounds.

Fair play to Eire Og for giving their floodlit pitch to the County Board. I don’t know what time the juvenile training was supposed to finish but an under-16 football game was also due to take place at 7pm on the main pitch.

However, as a result of the juveniles not finishing up until 7.40pm, the under-16 game could only start at 7.45pm.

I was aware from this newspaper of the football game and knew there was a good possibility it could be somewhat late starting but I didn’t envisage that it would be nearly an hour.

There was then talk of possibly moving our game to Bray meaning at least a 9pm start which was totally unacceptable for a game of such importance to both clubs.

In the end the SHC game had to be moved to last Saturday with St. Pat’s advancing to the semi-final.

Wicklow hurling clubs are always very facilitating when it comes to playing games. Maybe it is because there are so few games in the county and we will take them whenever we get them.

I don’t believe that playing the quarter-final of a sixteam competition under lights on a Monday night at 8.30pm is fair to anybody.

Maybe this shambles will dictate the correct scheduling of the competition going forward. There were at least two weeks lost in early August and I don’t know for what reason.

Why was the fixtures booklet completely ignored for this period?

If people were made aware that this was going to be the case they could have planned holidays in advance which going by the original booklet with all the changes that were made to it was almost impossible to do. There was a considerable crowd gathered in Greystones for this game and there was serious condemnation from the supporters and the teams involved as to how this could be allowed happen. I know some players had to travel back from college/work from various parts of the country for the game.

Obviously there was a serious breakdown in communications between the relevant parties. Look at the mess caused by having two games fixed for the one venue.

Would a senior football championship game be played on a Monday night at 8.30pm? No answer needed to this question!

Kilbride’s exit from the Junior ‘A’ championship was another low point and very harsh. Could a meaningful solution not have been found?

When it suits people there are many sweetheart deals done and I am surprised there could not have been some compromise.

Could you just imagine Rathnew, Blessington or St. Pat’s exiting the championship in such a manner.

This is the way smaller clubs are treated and it is unjust and totally unfair. Kilbride had a valid argument.

We can be very lax and careless when dealing with championship fixtures at the end of group stages. If there is a scenario that teams need to win by a certain score then these games should be played simultaneously.

We had a similar situation in the SHC and surely the two games involving the four teams seeking automatic qualification to the semi-finals should have been played at the same time.

Unlike the Junior hurling championships where all the teams in the latter stages of Junior ‘A’ and ‘B’ were in the same boat, the Intermediate competition has been run differently.

The first quarter-final was fine between Glenealy and Kilcoole as Glenealy seniors had played in a knockout quarter-final.

Fair play to Arklow Rocks who have now played against two teams whose senior teams had not yet played in the knockout stages of the SHC.

Another unfortunate incident was the treatment received by our former county under-21 football manager, Jonathan Daniels, and his management team.

Why couldn’t a simple phone call have been made to Jonathan thanking him for managing the team for the last two years and telling him that he would not be required for the coming year?

He should also have been informed of the reasons for a change in management.

Surely it is not asking too much to show respect and gratitude to him. I have often highlighted the need for all management teams to be reviewed at the end of their season so that areas of concerns/positives can be addressed.

I previously found myself in a similar situation and cannot believe that the County Board still don’t have a practice directive when dealing with the appointment/ removal of management teams. This current behaviour is so unprofessional and disrespectful.

Wicklow GAA cannot afford to deal with decent personnel in such a poor manner especially in our current position.

This has happened far too many times in the past from senior football intercounty right down to development squad mentors.

How can people have respect for the County Board when they continue to make such elementary mistakes?

It is no wonder there is a considerable cry out for change.