Treaty’s U-turn on Munster’s open draw
They’re now proposing to restore the open draw that has been in place for all but one season since 1991.
The motion will go forward to tonight’s meeting of the County Board Executive and, if supported there, will be brought to the Munster Council tomorrow night.
Last night’s Football Board meeting was called following receipt of a letter from the Limerick footballers who spoke of their huge sense of dissatisfaction at returning to a system which would keep automatic semi-finalists Cork and Kerry apart until the final.
A second letter drafted after a joint meeting of the Limerick, Clare, Waterford and Tipperary senior football panels was also read out. This stated that the Munster Council delegates were not acting on a clear mandate, called for the decision giving unfair advantage to Cork and Kerry to be reconsidered and warned that failure to do so would lead to further action.
Every speaker from the 18 clubs represented at the meeting, including county footballer Pa Ranahan from Ballysteen, came out against the seeded draw and the county’s decision to support it.
A proposal by Stephen Kennelly (St Kierans) and seconded by Jim Barry (Dromcollogher-Broadford) to instruct Limerick delegates to vote to overturn the seeded draw was passed unanimously.
While three (or four if Waterford overturn their decision to abstain) of the province’s six counties want to revert to the open draw, it remains to be seen what the Munster Council’s response will be as it may require a two-thirds majority to overturn the original decision.
However, the clear warning from the footballers of the Limerick, Clare, Waterford and Tipperary may hasten a decision that has to be made before next week’s televised draw for the All-Ireland and provincial senior championships.
