Dawson defiant after sit-down pitch protest

The Limerick City club official who staged a one-man protest before a divisional final at the weekend insists he has no regrets about his actions.

Despite the presence of a number of gardaí, Hammy Dawson (St Patrick’s Club) sat on the pitch in Clarina for an hour on Saturday evening, forcing a delayed start to the City JAHL decider.

St Patrick’s were due to play Crecora a week earlier in the competition’s semi-final but could not fulfil the fixture as a number of their players were involved with county senior and intermediate Munster championship teams that evening. Crecora were awarded the game and progressed to Saturday’s final against Na Piarsaigh.

Following Dawson’s public pledge to disrupt the decider, the city board met late on Friday night and offered to re-fix the semi-final for Saturday, and push the final back a week.

However, as Dawson explained, this was unworkable: “The City board met on Friday night and gave us less than 21 hours notice to play the semi-final. We have 11 players involved in senior football championship on Sunday so there was no way we could ask lads to play two big matches in such a short space of time.

“We have also appealed all of this to Competitions Control Committee of the City Board. We thought we would get a hearing but haven’t heard anything back yet.”

Dawson felt he was left with no alternative but to live up to his word. “I said I would do it. So I did. I arrived out to Clarina, went onto the field and did my protest. The protest was peaceful. I just sat there. There was no aggression. The gardaí were there but they were extremely understanding. Eventually the chairman of our club came out and said I had done all that I could have done. I left it at that, got up and walked off.”

Dawson said the scenario faced by St Patrick’s has touched a nerve around Limerick, and nationwide.

“I got messages of support from clubs and high-profile people in Limerick and in other counties. The feeling is it was about time someone stood up for players. The GAA go on and on and talk about player burnout and then they expect players to play two big games in two days. Everyone that contacted me felt this was the right thing to do. I have no regrets. And I’d do it again in the morning if I had to.

“I am a member of the club since childhood, I will always will be a member, and I will always try and do what is best for the club.”

Na Piarsaigh were crowned champions after a 1-17 to 0-10 victory.

The Limerick City Divisional board did not wish to comment when contacted by the Irish Examiner.