Status quo remains

Two proposals for leagues lose out

PROPOSALS from Baltinglass and St. Patrick’s to change the status quo in terms of home and away games in the football leagues came up short at last week’s county board meeting on Zoom.

Baltinglass were of the mind that it is unfair to ask teams who have travelled away to play teams in the opening round of seven games in the league to then have to travel again when the league divides into two groups of four for the latter stages.

“Under the old system, you had seven games at home, seven games away. We genuinely feel that after the first round of league fixtures, that when you split the groups into top four and bottom four, we feel that the venue should be reversed in relation to whether it’s top four or bottom four,” said a Baltinglass delegate.

“We genuinely feel that if you had a look at the draw and you’ve had four or five games at home that you should travel for the next three or four games, and, consequently, if you’re away you should be at home.

“We think it’s really unfair to ask clubs to travel twice to the same venue. You could be travelling to Kilcoole, to Wicklow town, to Rathnew. I think they should be reversed, and I think we should have a vote on that,” he added.

Both Martin Fitzgerald and Damien Byrne said that both the CCC and Management had recommended that the status quo from 2023 be maintained.

A St. Patrick’s delegate said that his club had an issue with teams carrying over points from the opening round of seven league games, saying that it was very hard for some teams to make up the deficit.

“We have a proposal that the top teams that win the group should get three home games, the second gets two home games, the third should get one home game and the team that finishes fourth or eighth should get no home games, and therefore they all start off on zero points for the second part of the league. At least you’re getting rewarded for finishing higher in the league,” said the St. Patrick’s delegate.

“So, if Baltinglass finished on top or second or fifth or sixth, they’d be guaranteed two or three home games, and we feel that would be a better idea than having a team going into a new league basis already minus seven or eight points from the first round, because really at that stage you’re gone, probably,” he added.

Damien Byrne asked if that proposal had been sent in to the CCC. Martin Fitzgerald said that it had been and that the CCC were sticking with the status quo.

The St. Patrick’s delegate was asked if he was seconding the Baltinglass motion, but he said that he was proposing the motion he had just outlined.

Damien Byrne asked the floor if there was a seconder for the Baltinglass motion, with Kilmac voicing their support.

The Wicklow Chairman then asked for a seconder for the St. Patrick’s motion, but none were forthcoming which left the Baltinglass and CCC motions.

“Ok, so we’ve two proposals, so we’ll have to take a vote,” said Damien Byrne.

“Nothing changes,” said the St. Patrick’s delegate.

“The proposal was put there (to the floor) and there was no seconder, I’m sorry,” said Damien Byrne.

“Probably something done beforehand, maybe,” replied the delegate.

The Baltinglass delegate said that it was nice to see someone like the St. Patrick’s delegate challenging the status quo to ensure there was equality in the game.

“I’m trying to do it in a more simplistic form, he’s looking at it in a different way to try and challenge the status quo,” he said.

The vote was then taken with the CCC’s proposal winning by 37 to 15.

The Baltinglass delegate then said that the proposal was initiated by the CCC and endorsed by county management.

“So, the proposal for the status quo is coming from both the CCC and management. Am I correct in saying that, just to be clear?” he asked.

Damien Byrne said that the CCC brought the proposal to management and management have brought it to the meeting.

“So, the management are now rubberstamping what the CCC are doing, correct?” asked the Baltinglass delegate.

“Not completely. Every member (of management) had their choice to vote, which they did, and not every member of management voted for it,” said Byrne.

“They predominantly did,” answered the Baltinglass delegate.

Chris O’Connor informed the meeting that 10 members of management voted for the CCC’s proposal and that that would leave 27 still voting for it against 15.