Anti-grants group set for return to DRA

OF ONE BELIEF, the group opposed to grants for intercounty players, are again bringing their case to the GAA’s Disputes Resolutions Authority.

The group, which claims 950 registered members, believes that Central Council has acted, and continues to act illegally on the pay-for-play issue.

The group claim the proposed agreement would break the GAA’s Rule 11 pertaining to the Association’s amateur status.

They went to the DRA last month and have is sought another meeting on the basis that the motion passed by Central Council last Saturday in support of the grants is out of order and the Council has caused a breach of trust.

Longford member Joe O’Brien said: “When we got an adjournment at the initial hearing of the DRA case. it was on the basis that Central Council’s solicitors claimed that no decision had been made on grants. Central Council also undertook to bring any future proposals properly to Congress. We accepted all this in good faith but now find that, along with the DRA and the rest of the GAA, we have been misled on both points.

“The press-release from Saturday’s Central Council meeting referred to its ‘previous decisions’ on this issue. Three weeks ago we were all assured there were no such decisions. And in the GAA if you take things to Congress, you take them there in the right way, according to the Rules. You don’t make it up to suit yourself as you go along. On Saturday our Central Council agreed to put a motion to Congress that is clearly out of order.”

“It’s time people were properly tested on this and this constant misleading was ended.

“The DRA — our own proper GAA arbitration system — is the means to do that.”

He added: “The Central Council motion is out of order because Rule 85 (b) says that if Central Council wants to submit a motion to Congress for approval of its interpretation of rules, it must seek to change the Rule accordingly. Any amendment to Rule 11, the amateur status rule, would need to be structured correctly and get a two-thirds majority in order to be passed. But the motion from Saturday’s Central Council meeting merely asks Congress to vote that it is “satisfied” with the grants scheme and doesn’t seek the necessary change of Rule.”

Blasted Mark Conway: “It’s obvious by now that Central Council is trying to sneak this fundamental change through on the nod. It’s wrong that counties like Fermanagh, which debated this whole issue openly and honestly, have their motion on it ruled out of order yet Central Council puts in a motion its members didn’t even debate on an agreement it says isn’t yet agreed.

“Trust has gone out the window in all this and it’s just further proof of how the people who want to foist pay-for-play on us won’t do their business through the GAA’s proper democratic processes and rules,” he added.

Meanwhile Mayo’s Ronan McGarrity has recovered from an ankle injury and will line out at midfield for Ballina Stephenites in next Sunday’s All-Ireland club football championship semi-final against Nemo Rangers.

The county captain has been sidelined since the beginning of the month after picking up a knock to his ankle in training. However, he has responded well to treatment and is fit to start alongside David Brady in the centre of the field.

The Mayo and Connacht champions have made one change to the team that beat St Brigid’s in the provincial final with Ger Cafferkey coming in at full-back after recovering from injury. The former Mayo minor defender replaces David O’Mahoney.

Nemo Rangers manager Ephie Fitzgerald is in a position to pick from a full-strength squad with the exception of William Morgan, who is in Australia. It includes David Niblock and Sean O’Brien, who returned from the US and Australia respectively at the end of the year and have taken a full part in training. The team will be captained by Niall Geary.

Holders Crossmaglen Rangers and St Vincent’s have both delayed finalisation of their teams until later in the week.

Meanwhile, Portumna have named their starting 15 for the game against Loughmore-Casteliney in the club hurling semi-final at the Gaelic Grounds. Leading scorer Joe Canning has been fighting a fitness battle for the past week but is expected to start at full-forward.

Opponents Birr will also line out at full strength, with manager Pat Joe Whelahan eagerly eyeing a possible fifth title which would put them back at the top in the Roll of Honour ahead of last season’s champions Ballyhale Shamrocks.

PORTUMNA: I. Canning; M. Gill, E. McEntee, O. Canning; G. Higney, M. Ryan, P. Smith; L. Smith, E. Lynch; A. Smith, K. Hayes, N. Hayes; D. Hayes, J. Canning, D. Canning.

NEMO RANGERS (possible): B. Morgan; N. Geary, D. Kavanagh, D. Breen; G. Murphy, M. Cronin, G. O’Shea; M. McCarthy, D. Niblock; P. Morgan, A. Cronin, S. O’Brien; P. Kerrigan, D. Kearney, J. Masters.

BALLINA: D Clarke; K Golden, G Cafferkey, M Wynne; B Ruane, C Leonard, S Sweeney; R McGarrity, D Brady; E Casey, P Harte, P McGarry; S Hughes, G Brady, L Brady.