Ladies football chiefs vote on ‘smoking ban’

DELEGATES attending this weekend’s Ladies Football Congress in Newry will vote on a novel proposal to impose a smoking ban on team officials and managements ‘inside pitch boundaries.’ If accepted, it will be incorporated into the rules of the Association (Cumann Peil na mBan).

It’s not known if the motion has been tabled by an individual county or whether it came from the executive, with officials pointing out that this information is not normally disclosed to the media.

The same applies to the origin of another — match related — proposal to amend an existing rule (424). It seeks to give players in all grades the option of taking 45 metre kicks from the hand. Under the existing rule, only players up to and including U-14 level are allowed to do so. A new President will take over, after Geraldine Giles held office for the last six years (gaining the approval of the 2006 Congress to serve a second term).

The new president is Cork-born Pat Quill, who previously held the position in 1985. Born in Rossmacowen, five miles on the Bantry side of Castletownbere, he lives in Wexford.

By coincidence, all three Associations — the GAA, Ladies Football and Camogie — will have Cork presidents this year.

Joan O’Flynn, from Ladysbridge will succeed Liz Howard as President of the Camogie Association at its Congress in Nenagh on the week-end of March 27/28, while Christy Cooney assumes office in Croke Park on April 18.