Club players held to ransom, warns Farrell

GPA chief Dessie Farrell was one of many who voiced concern about the worrying state of club competitions at Saturday’s Special Congress in Croke Park. He felt club players were “being held to ransom” by the inter-county games structure.

That concern was translated into action of sorts when the Central Council, meeting afterwards, approved the Management Committee being given plenary powers to disqualify any county from the championship not complying with club fixture policy.

More pertinently, GAA president Nickey Brennan is confident that motions will be brought before next year’s annual Congress to give the regulations the power of rule.