Delegates reject any moves to change playing rules

THE issue of whether the Central Council is less ‘democratic’ than clubs in terms of putting forward motions on playing rules to Congress every five years was discussed at Saturday’s Cork convention in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, leading to delegates voting 107/77 against a proposal to deny the Council and any of its sub-committees that recently-won right.

While the proposal to limit clubs, county and provincial councils to submitting motions was tabled jointly by Glen Rovers, Blackrock and St. Gabriel’s, effectively the debate centred on the case put strongly by Glen delegate Christy Ring and the counter-argument made with equal might by County Board Secretary Frank Murphy.

Mr Ring, son of the legendary Cork hurler, said the intention was that Croke Park ‘cannot’ change playing rules, adding: “the purpose of these two motions is that there would be a more democratic process for changing playing roles. At present there are five ways playing rule motions can be submitted to Congress every five years, through a club, county board, provincial council, Central Council and lastly a sub-committee of Central Council.