JK Brackens’ motion seeks extra-time for championship games

JK Brackens’ motion calling for the introduction of extra-time for all inter-county championship games will resolve Tipperary’s “chaotic club scene”, according to the club’s chairman Seamus O’Dwyer.

Universal extra-time, says O’Dwyer, would end the second-class treatment of club players, but fears their proposal will be shot down at Congress later this month as the rule change would end money-spinning replays.

Last year’s All-Ireland SHC final replay played havoc with competitions in Tipperary — the senior football championship wasn’t concluded until St Stephen’s Day, while the U21 hurling championships ran into January.

“Our club scene in Tipperary is chaotic with the amount of games postponed, delayed or put on the long finger because one player from a club is involved with a county team,” said O’Dwyer.

“We have so many competitions that are not being finished on time because of the 13-day rule. Once the inter-county scene is done and dusted they try and cram all the club fixtures in the winter months. That’s not right. Someone has to do something.

“We played the 2014 County U21B hurling semi-final against Moyle Rovers on a mudbath field in Boherlahan last month. There was a county challenge played on the same pitch the day before our game.

"They tried to fix the field up on that Saturday night, but the pitch was in no fit state. You couldn’t even walk properly on the field. County teams always take priority and they took priority here again.

“Our motion seeks to ensure club fixtures would not be disrupted by a replay in the All-Ireland championship, irrespective of the grade or the significance of the fixture. Club players would know exactly when they were playing and there would be no danger of a late postponement.”

The 2014 All-Ireland hurling final replay between Tipperary and Kilkenny contributed €3m to GAA coffers and O’Dwyer is pessimistic the ordinary club player will be prioritised ahead of a healthy balance sheet.

“A Munster final replay or an All-Ireland final replay is worth a huge amount of money to the GAA. The three hurling final replays have brought in huge amounts of money for the association.

"They are incentivising the replays then by dropping the ticket prices. For that reason, we didn’t believe our motion, an idea put forward by club member Ronan Loughnane, stood a chance at the Tipperary convention.

“It passed, but Congress is another story.”