Primary schools in appeal for help

LAST night’s Munster Convention heard a cry for help from the province’s primary schools games body, Cumann na mBunscol, for their support in the appointment of a servicing officer.

Chairman Tim O’Byrne from Waterford said they had been looking for assistance for the last few years and they were now the only educational body without such help.

In support of his case, he pointed out that from a stage where 200 games were organised in the first year of their establishment in 1971, in the past 12 months over 4,500 were played.

It was no longer acceptable to have a situation where teachers were being asked to take calls in the middle of class regarding fixtures, he said.

Responding, Munster Council chairman Jimmy O’Gorman said that while they had discussed the request, it had been “taken out of their hands” by Croke Park.

Council vice-chairman Sean Walsh stated that the council had grant-aided Cumann na mBunscol in the past year to the tune of €85,000 — and the grant could be “restructured” if necessary.

GAA president-elect Christy Cooney advised delegates that an appointment had been made in Croke Park last year to assist Cumann na mBunscol and that the relationship with primary schools was now stronger than ever before.

Chairman O’Gorman took Clare delegate Noel Walsh to task for calling the council decision to introduce a seeded draw for last year’s senior football championship as “a mistake”, saying the decision was reached democratically.

Walsh, a former chairman and the man who pioneered the introduction of the open draw back in 1991, had initially complimented the council on the reintroduction of the open draw. “It was an enlightened decision and I hope it will be continued indefinitely,” he stated.

The council’s deputy chief executive Daniel Nelligan referred to their dependence on gate receipts as the main source of income, with the senior hurling championship accounting for 52% of the total revenue, compared to just 17% from the football championship. In turn, the council redistributed 40% of their income to counties and clubs and this amounted to over €5m.

Council PRO Jim Forbes advised delegates that as well as planning events to mark the 125th year celebrations, they would hope to improve the quality of match programmes and “modernising” the music played before games.

A Kerry motion requesting first round byes for clubs representing counties which contest All-Ireland senior finals was ruled out of order, on the basis that it was a matter for the Council’s Competitions Control Committee.

Likewise, a Clare proposal relating to the appointment of match officials was not taken, leading board chairman Michael O’Neill to comment that it was “a waste of time” for counties to be submitting motions.

The thrust of the motion was to ensure that match officials were suitably qualified, he said, admitting that it was linked to the umpiring decision which “cost them” the Munster under-21 hurling championship last year.

Officers: Chairman — J. O’Gorman (Waterford); Vice-chairman — S. Walsh (Kerry); Treasurer — M. Power (Tipperary); PRO — J. Forbes (Cork).