Fixture deadlock could be on the way this year for Limerick hurling and football clubs as GAA Congress decided last weekend that replays for all provincial championship games and All-Ireland quarter-finals, would be reintroduced. The Wexford and Kildare joint-proposal won 69% of delegates’ support (174 votes to 80) in Mullingar and could signal large breaks between club matches at all levels.
The decision is believed to have been supported with the view to provincial councils benefitting from extra revenue. (No one can begrudge them that, seeing as games in Limerick’s Gaelic Grounds have been few and far between) However, the grass roots of the GAA, the clubs, will be scratching their heads as to how to manage their seasons from here on in. Emigration is an added danger already in these current economic times and with a possibility of larger breaks between club games, it will become even harder to hold onto the invaluable club hurler or footballer.
Following the controversial vote, GAA President Christy Cooney told delegates he hoped they would not live to regret passing the motion. “It would have been completely hypocritical of me if I did not say what I said, after what I said in my Congress address. We don’t need any more inter-county games than we already have. We would be extremely concerned at the impact it will have on club championships. We are making progress with our fixture planners and fixture makers and we would hope that this would not impact on it a serious way. I personally believe it is wrong but Congress has made the decision.”
The decision is sure to meet with much anger in the local clubs and communities of the GAA. The potential for the already over extended GAA Club season to be delayed further is surely an issue more important than the potential for one or two more games a season.
In other congress news, the GAA agreed to keep the November/December ban on squad trainings. The idea was to aid against player burn out, however, almost every county has their players on programs for the eight week, ‘Ban’ period. Another motion which was passed and was most needed, was the concept of players getting specific match bans as opposed to week bans for offences. So, instead of the old, two week ban, the player will get a one or two game ban. This system will help with uniformity of punishment was well as making the players aware that big mistakes will mean missing big games.
The GAA congress would not be the GAA congress however without the lighter side of the GAA. The “Making Gumsheilds compulsory” motion was turned down due to the cost associated with same. Even though one delegate argued that having a gumshield in would lead to less abuse of referee’s. Interest point that.
On a final note. In his final address to congress, out going GAA President Christy Cooney, spoke at length about changes that may be needed in the GAA to move forward. One such was the restructuring of the provincial championships into four, eight team provinces. Finally, some sense being talked. “Should we have more than five counties in Connacht? Do we need 12 in Leinster? Should we do things a little differently, should we regionally structure our provincial championships in a different way and debate it?,” commented Cooney. There are many out there who would support him, but like all things in life, no one wants to be that Spartacus. There will be few would will stand up and put it to the floor at next year’s congress. Sad, but true.
