Eligibility row stifling Galway championship progress

THE Galway senior football championship has been thrown into disarray as a new appeal is to be heard into the eligibility of a player.

The last 16 round was cancelled at the weekend because of Galway’s All-Ireland qualifier next weekend against Meath, but it now looks as if it could be weeks before it resumes.

Micheal Breathnachs, who were 1-10 to 0-12 winners over Mountbellew/Moylough in the last round, were re-admitted to the Galway SFC last week having initially been thrown out by the Galway County Board. Their appeal to the Connacht Council resulted in Galway County Board re-examining the case and reversing their earlier decision.

But now it has been confirmed that Mountbellew/Moylough are appealing the latest decision to the Connacht Council and it may be weeks before the controversy is resolved as further appeals are likely.

At the centre of the dispute is Tommy Conneely of Micheal Breathnachs, who came on as a sub in the win over Mountbellew/Moylough. He had permission to play for his adopted club rather than the Na Piarsiagh club where he resides and Mountbellew’s objection centred around whether this permission allowed him to play at senior level or just underage.