Championship is put on hold

Leaving Cert gets the blame

THERE was a heated debate at the County Board meeting in Ballinakill last Monday night when Kiltegan delegate Damien Byrne described the bringing forward of the championship dates to the June Bank Holiday Weekend an “absolute disgrace” and he said his club would not be playing the new fixtures.

“Chairman, new proposals came out during the week in relation to the championship. We got a booklet at the beginning of the year and clubs went home and set out their stall,” said Damien Byrne.

“Now it’s proposed that the championship starts on the June Bank Holiday weekend on the third and fourth. In relation to that, the Leaving Certificate starts on the seventh. Now, we have trouble enough in clubs trying to keep lads playing and here we are telling them we don’t need them for the first round of the championship. We have four Minors coming into the Senior team, they mightn’t all start, but yet they’re on the panel. We needed these players to play in league games when we had other players with the county.

“We also have players who have booked holidays. Now we have set out our stall to play the championship on June 3, our next round is not until July 14 and July 21. Six weeks, Mr Chairman. I think it’s an absolute disgrace. Showing that our county team are out next weekend, we’re telling them, more or less, go home, lads, we’re starting our championship, yous are not going to win. We’re not supporting our county team by putting a championship programme two weeks before they play out on paper.

“We got a programme at the start of the year for July 14 to start. Ok, we’re in the group of five, we don’t mind starting a week earlier, but not six weeks. I think it’s an absolute disgrace.

“What if the county hurlers win, and I hope they do, they have as good a chance as Carlow have, we’ve a good chance of beating Louth, people in this room mightn’t think it, but we do. We have the same chance as Louth has.

I think it’s a disgrace. We’re not going to play it, I can tell you here and now,” he added.

Martin Coleman said that one of the reasons for the change in dates for the championship was the new format that arose from the championship draws and the extra games that that entailed.

“We’ve an issue as well,” said Avondale’s Victory O’Shaughnessy, “Just to do with young people starting their Leaving Cert and I think it is something that needs to be looked at. We’re going to have three or four young people who will not be playing in our championship,” he said.

A host of club delegates then said that they were all in the same boat regarding young players.

“We’re down to play two days after the Christy Ring,” said James ‘Bear’ Doran. “We won’t have our players for a fortnight before it, we’re supposed to play championship against Ashford,” he added.

“I think ye agreed to that, though,” said Martin Coleman.

“I don’t know about that now,” replied Doran. “I think so,” replied Coleman. “And we’re playing hurling championship on the Saturday so we’re playing two championship games in a week, right after the Christy Ring,” said James Doran.

Jason Doyle of Kilmacanogue said that his club was facing three matches in 10 days, one league and two championship matches.

“One of the first championship matches is against Ballymanus, hey have county players, will they have those players back, are they happy with that, will that game go ahead? And the second match is against Rathnew who won’t have played a round of the Senior championship. My understanding was there wouldn’t be any grade playing before a higher grade,” he added.

Seamus Kelly said that Baltinglass was in the same boat as Kiltegan with players doing the Leaving Certificate.

“The arrangements for the Bank Holiday Weekend are left too much to chance in relation to Wicklow who could beat Louth, the hurlers could beat Carlow. I understand that with the new format there are only three extra games and there’s loads of time between mid-July and the end of the season. I would respectfully request and propose that this fixture be put back to status quo,” he said.

Tom Byrne asked would the county play no championship matches until the Leaving Certificate is over. A host of voices said “yes” from the floor.

“I warn clubs now, I couldn’t care less, lads, if you’re a hurling and football club you could be playing two or three times a week to get your championship finished in time for the Leinster championship,” said Tom Byrne.

Martin Coleman informed delegates that all days booked off by clubs for stag parties or weddings were “gone”, if the championship was pushed out to the weekend of June 22/23.

Damien Byrne tried to propose that the championship fixtures go back to July but Martin Coleman refused and said that the issue should go back ot the CCC and they should try to get a round of championship games in around the weekend of June 24/25.

Mick Mills from Blessington asked were clubs in Wicklow gone “mad or something”.

Martin Coleman said that there would be no championship fixtures until the weekend of June 24/25.