Victory for the small clubs?
Higher team must play first
AFTER a lengthy discussion on motion number five which was brought forward by Kilcoole GAA Club that asked that the hurling championship be played in a chronological order from Senior first and on down through the ranks, they were asked to withdraw the motion and allow motion six be discussed as it was almost identical but worded differently and less open to difficulties.
Motion six came from the Kilmacanogue club and stated: Where a club has more than one adult team involved at any grade in their respective code, the higher grade must play in advance of the lower grade.
Jason Doyle was the first to speak on the matter and he quickly asked the County Chairman to amend the motion to say that if it was passed that it would be inserted into bye-law. this was agreed upon.
“I think this motion offers more solutions than problems. We regularly sit here at the start of every year about trying to get a round of the Senior championship played in April, May or June, be it in football or hurling. If this motion is passed here tonight, that will be the case that championship will have to be played earlier in the year, no doubt in line with what the new fixtures group will be recommending and we won’t see a situation where Junior hurling will be getting played in the depths of winter in November and December as we have seen leagues running into those months year on year.
“Obviously, this came about as a result of Kilmacanogue’s Intermediate year. I think from a club point of view it would be remiss of me not to mention it because I know there were a lot of people in our club who were very upset over how they feel they were treated in relation to finding ourselves before the Hearings Committee and there are some misconceptions out there that Kilmacanogue didn’t want to field against Rathnew.
“Our club took a decision and we had to stand by it and that’s the reality. Each and every person in this room as a club member knows that that’s what you have to do and you have to roll with it. And that’s what we did and we went to Leinster and there was differing views on whether we should have played it or not but we took the view and we had to stand by it.
“And we went to Leinster and we were unsuccessful. We didn’t even get a hearing because it was on a technicality. We were dragged to Portlaoise and it was ruled out or order on a technicality.
“A lot of clubs were of the opinion that this was already a rule. It’s not a rule. We have come back looking to introduce this. We will put this motion to the floor.
“On the night in question when we raised this at a full County Board meeting and we got little or no support on it. Since then, several clubs have contacted us looking for support of their motions which we would fully agree with but tonight is the night to put this into rule. I don’t think that this should be a problem for any Senior club. Fair play has been mentioned a lot here tonight, if we are serious about this I think all clubs should support this, and unanimously support it. I would be very disappointed to see people vote against this,” said Doyle.
Peter Case from Donard-The Glen highlighted an issue with the wording of the motion where it said teams “must play”. Case said that there were occasions with his club where they wished to play second teams of Senior clubs who had no Senior players regraded and could the wording “where both clubs are agreeable” be inserted into the motion.
No delegates went against the motion and the motion was passed as a new bye-law on a vote of 72 for, 42 against.