Tipp chairman ‘intervened’ in replay decision
Last month’s Ballingarry-St Mary’s, Clonmel match was called to a halt after violence broke out involving players, mentors and spectators.
Each club were handed proposed fines and recommended to be thrown out of the competition by the South Tipperary Bord na nÓg’s competitions control committee.
At a subsequent county hearing committee meeting, it was decided both clubs would be fined and a suggestion made to South Bord na nÓg that the game be replayed.
The South Tipperary Bord na nÓg’s CCC rejected the idea of a replay. However, the game has now been refixed for tomorrow week in Cahir after South Tipperary juvenile secretary Ann Fleming claimed she was forced to go against “her principles” and order it to go ahead.
Fleming states in her email to South Tipperary clubs that she was instructed by Nugent on Thursday to call a meeting involving interested board parties. “I refused and sent a very detailed email to him with an explanation for my refusal. I also spoke with Sean Nugent who informed me the meeting would take place with or without Bord na nÓg and he would sort it out.”
Fleming also claims she received phone calls from a club threatening the county board draw would be “severely affected” if she didn’t sanction a replay this weekend. “I took this as holding Bord na nÓg to ransom.”
She also maintains Nugent had stopped Carrick Swans, the South U16 hurling champions as designated by South Tipperary Bord na nÓg, playing their county semi-final.
“During the investigation, many at Senior County Level were very concerned and wanted this issue to ‘go away’ and began to involve themselves in the issue of allowing the disqualified teams to replay this fixture.
“This was done behind the backs of South Bord na nÓg and seemingly assurances were made to the point that texts had gone out to players regarding the replay taking place this coming weekend, even before the decision of the County Hearings Committee was made know to the two clubs involved and Bord na nÓg.”
Fleming added about Carrick Swans’ non-existent county semi-final: “This fixture did not take place due to the interference of our County Senior Board chairman who had directed County Bord na nÓg that their U16A county semi (couldn’t take place) because there was an objection under hearing taking place. In fact there is no objection to any match then or now!”
Nugent was unavailable for comment last night.
For the replay, eight conditions, including the venue being enclosed, stewards being on duty, spectators not being allowed on the pitch and only three mentors from each club being allowed on the enclosed pitch.
Failure to comply will result in the game being stopped or abandoned and it not being re-fixed.
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