Move to protect young players from ‘senior’ status
In relation to the latter issue, SRC Chairman Peter Quinn spoke from personal experience when he successfully put the motion before delegates, saying it had major implications for ‘child protection.’
He said that one of his own sons had received a serious injury while playing senior at the age of 17, while he himself had played at this grade while just over 14 years of age. What we are asking players to do is neither right nor fair,’’ he commented. Wicklow delegate Jackie Napier recalled a player U-16 coming on to their senior team - and giving 17 years service. “I know it was not right but he was the best material at the time.’’
The motion will have the power of rule within a month and prevent players under 16 from playing at more than one age level above their own age group.
President-elect, Sean Kelly, made a strong case for putting a limit of five years on the terms of county board officers, saying that without vacancies occurring young people were not going to put themselves forward for election.
A proposal to ban inter-county competitions for any age group below sixteen received a lot of support, but not enough for the required two-thirds majority.
In contrast, delegates voted in big numbers to penalise players (under current rules) who feign injury to gain an advantage. Cork’s Bob Honohan remarked that as a member of the GAC, he was only too aware of the consequences this had for ‘innocent players.’
There was a wide-ranging debate on the proposal to reorganise the Management Committee, which would have seen the two Trustees lose their representation and the four nominees from the provinces on Central Council being replaced by two nominees of the President, as well as the chairmen of the Finance and Games Development Committees.
Proposals to introduced a 65 years age limit to officerships and to have chairman represent counties on Central Council were not pursued.
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