The January meeting of Clare GAA took place last night, Tuesday, at Clareabbey when provisional start up dates for the club leagues and county championships were outlined while the decision of the GAA authorities to charge under 16’s an entry fee of €5 for National league fixtures (division 1 and 2 in football and division 1 in hurling) led to some debate.
The meeting ratified a number of committees while sympathy was extended to the clubs and families of people who died in recent months.
Competition start up dates
Chairman of the masters fixtures committee Colm Browne informed the meeting that the proposed starting date for the domestic football leagues is the weekend of March 8 and 9 with the hurling leagues getting underway a week later, March15/16. Its expected that the leagues will be concluded by the end of June which would allow for a break at the beginning of July before he championships will begin.
The provisional date for the opening rounds of the football championship are July 19/20 with the hurling starting a week later, July 26/27.
The Clare cup (senior hurling league) will comprise sixteen teams (down from twenty last year) in two groups of eight. A draw will take place to determine the make up of the groups.
The make up of the masters fixtures committee is Colm Browne(chairman), Padraic Boland (Broadford), Tom Duggan (St. Josephs), Tony O’Donnell (Crusheen), Martin Hehir (Clondegad) and David O’Brien, (Miltown St. Josephs) and their re-appointment was ratified at the meeting.
Before the discussion on fixtures concluded board chairman Kieran Keating referred to the motion passed at the Dublin convention for the Clontarf club. Proposed by former Dublin star Dr. Noel McCaffrey the motion stated that for a player to be eligible to play championship with his county he must have played four league games with his club.
Dublin have referred the motion to Croke Park. The Clare chairman expressed the view that he doesn’t see it being possible to implement this but he advised clubs hat it will be discussed at the February meeting of the board.
Admission charges
The decision of the GAA authorities to introduce a €5 charge for under 16’s for the upcoming national leagues (division 1 and 2 in football and division 1 in hurling) was raised by Clarecastle delegate Tommy Guilfoyle.
An elected member of Clare Co. Council he reminded the delegates hat the local authority had passed a motion at its meeting on the previous day calling on the GAA to reverse this decision.
Board chairman Kieran Keating offered the view that Clare County council should not have discussed this issue. He didn’t feel that Clare should be instructing the ruling authority on this as they had made the decision after careful examination. In his view it wasn’t a question of the money.
Corofin delegate Pat Curtis was strong in the view that “the GAA is built from the bottom up and not from the ceiling down. If the feeling is that we should approach the authorities about it then we should do that”.
Clonlara’s Flan Mullane wondered if the charge is to apply to 6, 7, 8 9 and 10 year olds to which chairman Kieran Keating replied “they are all under 16.
Tubber’s Andrew Monahan said “there has to be some level of control The €5 charge is not the issue. We don’t tell Clare Co. Council how to run their affairs.
Eire Og’s Rory Hickey said “it does put an additional cost on families. There are other ways of issuing tickets”
Clarecastle’s Guilfoyle then asked “can we not ask the GAA to re-visit this”
Kieran Keating; “I’m not sure it it’s appropriate to ask. I don’t have a problem with the €5 charge”.
No decision …yet
Clarecastle’s Tommy Guilfoyle then told the meeting that a question was asked at their club’s annual meeting regarding admission charges. Is this decided, he asked.
“No decision has been made yet, it will be discussed by the finance committee”, Head of Operations Deirdre Murphy said while chairman Kieran Keating added “it will be on the agenda for the February meeting of the board.
Ladies handball
“The biggest ladies handball competition in Ireland will be hosted in Clare this Saturday and Sunday, Clare handball delegate Mike Kelly told this week’s January board meeting.
“Games will take place at clubs across the county from Saturday morning until Sunday evening with finals scheduled for approximately 5pm”, Kelly told the meeting when extending an invite to all to come along and see the action. He concluded by saying “there will be no charge”.
Appointments
The following appointments were ratified at this week’s meeting.
Maurice Walsh as under 20 football manager, proposed by Rory Hickey (Eire Og) seconded by Irish officer Joe Garry.
Coiste na nOg hurling —Stephen McNamara (chairman), Kilmaley Pat Gavin (secretary) Ogonnelloe, Declan Moroney (Tulla), Gavin Moroney (Bodyke) Paul Gannon (Inagh-Kilnamona), Fergal O’Brien (Broadford) and Jimmy Corbett (Sixmilebridge). All were members of the outgoing committee.
Coiste na nOg football;–Joe Considine (chairman), Cooraclare; Frances O’Sullivan ( secretary), Cratloe; Paul Reidy (Kilmihil), Barry Keating (Lissycasey), Denis O’Driscoll (St. Breckans) and Kieran Hassett (Cooraclare).
Presenting the names to this week’s meeting the chairman Kieran Keating went on to say “the following will be working with the committee also Brian Dillon (Doonbeg), Odran O’Dwyer (Kilmurry-Ibrickane), Alan Malone (Eire Og), Karl Walsh (Miltown–he is currently residing in Australia), Ciaran Considine (Liscannor). They will all be working in conjunction with Micheal Duffy (Games development administrator) and the board’s coaching and games officer, Neil O’Brien.
Ruan delegate Michael O’Regan proposed a vote of thanks to the outgoing Coiste na nOg committee and this was seconded by Wolfe Tones delegate Joe Kelly.
Planning and training committee; Paddy Smith (Eire Og), Vincent Delaney (Sixmilebridge) Sean McMahon (St Josephs) and Patricia O’Grady (Newmarket).
