Six ways GAA Congress let itself down
A world of good it has done in revoking rules 21 and 42 and yet it has retained an uncanny ability to shoot itself in the foot.
Saturday proved that. Here’s exactly why:
Last week, Galway secretary John Hynes stated the county would vote in favour of Dublin’s motion to make all televised championship games free-to-air providing it was clarified only applying to Ireland – “If it is free-to-air in Ireland, we will support it.”
He did everyone a service by highlighting the anomaly. Introducing the motion, Dublin’s Ken O’Sullivan explained the proposal wished to ensure “all GAA members on the island of Ireland have full access to senior hurling and football championship matches through universal public broadcasting”.
That clearly wasn’t enough for Galway chairman Noel Treacy who went as far as calling on Dublin to withdraw the motion. Former GAA president Nickey Brennan made some valid arguments against the motion but then queried why it was even being voted on.
That might have had something to do with the democratic will of Dublin’s annual convention last December. Croke Park had their ducks in a row on this one and the motion received little over 15% support.
Anyway, it’s difficult to see Sky Sports or any other pay-per-view company receiving any larger slice of the exclusive championship rights pie than the current 14-game agreement.
GAA director general Páraic Duffy is on record as saying the number of free-to-air matches will not be reduced.
He is also reluctant to increase the total number of live televised games. He told Congress last year: “You have to ask the question, is the fact we broadcast so many live games each year impacting on our attendances. And what about the impact it has on our club games?”
What a fine mess that was for Central Council. Counties removing motions for fear of avalanche scale defeats is nothing new but when Ard Chomhairle has to retreat as they did with their “B” championship proposal it’s time to be worried.
Exactly how diligent and representative is Central Council is the question here when they endorsed a competition model not only opposed by players but the eight Division 4 counties and beyond, only considering the counties’ opinions at the 11th hour.
The GPA narrowly voted in favour of the mark but in the age of social media not since the black card has a rule generated as much heated reaction among players.
That a number of them are midfielders said plenty and the message was clear – “where was the trial?” Playing rules committee chairman Jarlath Burns, who drafted the successful motion, wants high-fielding to be rewarded but nowhere in the new rule does it state the ball must be caught above a player’s head.
Former Cavan footballer Nicholas Walsh, who is the backline coach with AFL club Greater Western Sydney Giants, knows a thing or two about the mark. He says the GAA’s interpretation of it will lead to confusion because the catcher has to nominate whether they wish to take the mark or play on.
“(Let referees) call the mark and if the player moves off line play on,” he argues.
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Duffy admitted Saturday was a bad day for the club player: “I think the club players will feel we’ve let them down a little bit”.
GAA president Aogán Ó Fearghail was more upbeat: “The focus is now on the club player. Once you put the focus on something, it is easier to improve it.” Ó Fearghail may be guilty of exaggerating there.
This is the second time a proposal to bring forward All-Ireland finals has been opposed. It is also the second time Congress has expressed a wish to hang onto the potential for money-spinning replays thus depriving clubs of a more dependable fixtures plan.
Consider that decision along with the opposition of the free-to-air TV motion and it’s difficult to shake the belief money, not clubs, is what concerns the GAA the most.
Set to come into operation shortly, if a player makes any deliberate collision with an opponent after he has played the ball away or for the purposes of taking him out of the movement of play he will receive a black card.
Previously, he had to commit the foul in the form of a body collide. Now it extends to prohibiting his opponent basically with any form of impact. As Monaghan’s Colin Walshe rightly asked on Twitter on Saturday: “So a mistimed shoulder is a black card now too?”
Following a plea from Antrim Central Council delegate Philip Christie, next year’s Christy Ring Cup winners will be rewarded with a place in the Leinster quarter-finals. That means the best of the second tier need only beat teams of their own ilk to qualify for the provincial knock-out stages ahead of two counties that are ranked above them playing better sides in the Leinster qualifying round.
In the league, where the ninth and 10th placed teams qualify for quarter-finals ahead of the fifth and sixth best, we’ve seen a structure used as a crutch to support weaker counties. Now the same applies to the championship.
Email: john.fogarty@examiner.ie
Whatever about the long-running debate about the timing of the main third level competitions and the pressures they put on players, there is little doubt that they produce entertainment.
Last Saturday’s Fitzgibbon Cup decider was one for the ages. That the hurling competition offered such a classic is nothing new. Since 2001, six finals have gone into extra-time; remarkably, five since 2008.
Had the facility of a replay applied to the Mary Immaculate College-UL game, it would have been the second successive year the final required two games to decide a winner.
There were welfare questions on Saturday about asking players to play third and fourth periods of extra-time having only lined out in the semi-finals the day before but then the make-up of the National League means the Fitzgibbon Cup has little in the way of wiggle room should it spill over.
There were also complaints about the General Election getting in the way of the game being televised live. In that regard, it might be considered a missed opportunity to promote the game.
At the same time, how many will claim in the years ahead that they were there in Cork IT as the allure of the Fitzgibbon Cup grows?
It wasn’t just Down’s performance on Sunday that disappointed: Kerry were also privately dismayed by the lack of a challenge, though the extent of their win, a 16-point margin, could be pivotal by the conclusion of the round stages on April 3.
At this stage, Down are likely to be relegated and will be fortunate to pick up a point. For the remaining counties, six points will all but guarantee survival. Not since the league returned to a Division 1, 2, 3 and 4 format in 2008 has a Division 1 team been relegated on six points.
On that basis, Dublin and Donegal may have one eye on the semi-finals while Roscommon need only beat Down next week to retain Division 1 status. Reality is starker for Mayo, just above Down on score difference, Cork after two humiliating back-to-back defeats, and Kerry.
If Down are fodder, then Cork will pick up at least four points but a win in Croke Park on Saturday looks beyond Cork.
They would then require a win at home to Monaghan or away to Kerry on the last day. Mayo, who face Down on April 3, may need two wins against Monaghan, Roscommon, and Kerry.
Should Kerry win their two home games, they should be safe but the visit of Cork to Tralee on April 3 is now looking like a pivotal fixture.
