Delaney calls for hurling revamp

THE Leinster senior hurling championship should be confined to just four counties — Dublin, Kilkenny, Offaly and Wexford, with the possible addition of Galway.

This is the radical suggestion council secretary Michael Delaney has put forward as a possible solution to addressing some of the discrepancies in standards in the province.

In his report to convention in Carlow next week, he also talks about the bruising experience of being a member of the Strategic Review Committee. He also warns that not enough attention is being paid to the state of the GAA in Dublin.

On his hurling proposals, he remarked: "They can be dismissed as yet another secretary trying to fill space in an annual report.

"On the other hand they might be used to stimulate debate amongst board officers, county team mentors and, above all, the players in these (other) counties.

"I don't mind if these ideas are dismissed, but please tell me why and give me the alternatives. Surely, we don't want to be still waffling on about the state of Leinster hurling in 10 years time."

Making reference to various proposals made in recent years, Delaney poses the obvious question: "What will any of these schemes do to narrow the ever-widening gap between Kilkenny and the other Leinster counties?"

Starting at the lower end of the scale, he speculates that Louth and Longford should not be competing at adult inter-county level, commenting that their participation is doing nothing for the promotion or development of hurling. Instead, he says, resources should be channelled directly into internal activity in these counties.

More pertinently, he suggests six other counties Carlow, Kildare, Laois, Meath, Westmeath and Wicklow should opt out of adult championship hurling (ie senior, senior B, intermediate and junior) for a three-year period.

"In its place I would put a well- structured provincial club league with the top six senior hurling clubs from each county taking part."

In support of his proposals, Delaney argues players have a better chance of developing skills through competitive games and there would be a guarantee of top-class hurling to a whole new range of players.

On a more positive note, he is encouraged by the initiative of their newly-established hurling sub-committee in planning a DJ Carey School of Hurling later in the summer.

Dealing with the SRC report, he says that after (their) two years of work had been largely "ridiculed, pulverised and dismissed" at the Special Congress, he vowed never to have any part in a future committee which an enlightened president might form.

Disinclined to reopen the SRC report, Delaney nevertheless makes some interesting comments. "As an administration county, provincial, central we have grown old and settled. When I first attended my first Congress/Leinster Convention 30 years ago, I was among the young brigade at those gatherings. This year I still fall into the same category.

"There are so few new faces coming along that I have to say we have skipped an entire generation in administration terms."

In his view, they have lost touch with:

*people in clubs and schools who are trying to promote the games

*the general public

*the players and with reality about the future

"There is one serious aspect of the SRC report which is proving to be a hot potato. It is neither being discussed or being seriously addressed. This is the subject of the GAA in Dublin and the unique issues surrounding it.

"I honestly do not know where these proposals are headed a betting man would not dare to speculate. "However, I will say this it is time to finish with the bluff, bluster and baloney. We must decide if the issues are national, provincial, or simply a matter for Dublin themselves.

"When this decision is made we can decide on the way forward. The road map will not prove to be easily drafted nor followed, but standing still is not an option."