Points system sent us down, fumes McNamara

OFFALY manager Mike McNamara is furious with GAA bosses for altering the points system for this year’s NHL, a move that effectively relegated his side to Division Two.

Last year, Kilkenny and Tipperary dominated the first phase of the newly-designed league and, with points carried forward to the second phase, the two finalists were virtually guaranteed their places even before the last round of games.

In an effort to prevent a repeat of that scenario, the GAA deemed that this year, points would not be carried forward to phase two, a decision that has enraged McNamara.

Offaly ended the first phase of the NHL with six points, after defeating Tipperary, Antrim and Wexford.

That saw them miss out on the top section for phase two, where they would have been playing for a place in the final, on points difference.

Now, after three defeats in succession with an injury-plagued panel, the Faithful County are facing Division Two hurling next spring.

Had last year's system remained in place, they would not have been relegated, but would instead have finished second to Kilkenny in the Group Two section.

"There's too many people up there tinkering with the system," said McNamara.

"The system was tinkered with simply because Kilkenny ran in with full points last year and probably destroyed the second section of the league for other teams.

"We had a two-year system and it should have been left for two years."

However, that isn't the only decree from Croke Park angering Offaly hurling folk.

County officials are still seething at the rejection of a request to play their last group game against Wexford a day early last month, a decision that effectively cost the county €3,000.

"Offaly requested to play their final group game with Wexford on the Saturday, as our Birr players were due to fly out to Tenerife on a team holiday on the Sunday," a county board official said yesterday.

"Wexford had already agreed to the change, but when we approached Croke Park we were informed that all games on the last weekend had to be played at the same time.

"That's all well and good but then you had the situation in football when Cork were allowed play Fermanagh on the Saturday night and the rest of the games were on Sunday."

Croke Park's decision meant that the Offaly county board had to foot the bill, in the region of €3,000, to fly their Birr contingent to the Spanish destination.

"It was the same again this Sunday when the Cork hurlers and Clare were allowed to play on the Saturday," said the official.

"All we're asking for is that the rules be applied across the board."

The official added: "As it is, it seems there's one rule for one county or some counties and another rule for the rest."