Gaelic games threatened by gambling ‘crisis’

Gambling in the GAA has now reached crisis point, according to the head of the organisation in Galway.

Chairman Noel Treacy said that he was approached by two sets of parents recently who highlighted the problems created by widespread betting on Galway in the All-Ireland hurling final against Kilkenny in September.

He said the parents, who did not have sons on the Galway squad in the All-Ireland final, were distraught at the level of gambling by their children and other young people involved in the GAA.

And Treacy revealed that the GAA in Galway have had to deal with serious gambling issues involving hurlers and footballers in the county in recent years.

“In early October, I got a request from two sets of parents to meet with them, which I did.

“To my alarm, they reported to me of serious individual, group and syndicate bets being placed on the Galway team, in the All-Ireland senior hurling final.

“The parents complained to me that this was having a detrimental effect on both individuals and families and was creating serious unrest and tension.

“We also saw on social media some months back, where players were clearly shown collecting their winning bets, after a crucial senior hurling game,” he said.

This, it is understood, is a reference to a club hurling team who posted photographs of themselves collecting their winnings after a game in Galway.

Treacy said that the scale of the problem was highlighted recently when a betting firm closed the book when a string of bets were placed on one of the potential candidates a day after Anthony Cunningham resigned as manager.

“On the following day, November 17, Mulholland Bookmakers opened a book on the race for the next Galway team manager.

“In a short space of time, 37 bets were placed on one candidate, forcing Mulhollands, a great GAA family, to close the book within hours.

“Our Health & Well-Being Committee, along with our county officers and team managers, have had to deal with serious gambling issues for individual members and players, in both codes, over the past few years.

“In essence, gambling is now reaching crisis proportions in Gaelic games,” added Treacy.

Meanwhile, Treacy will remain in charge of Galway GAA for a fifth and final year after holding off the challenge of three other candidates. Michael Regan from Loughrea was the first to bow out of the race when he received just 20 of the 237 votes.

Former football board chairman John Joe Holleran was next to go when he received 54 votes after transfers.

That left just two in the field and Treacy, a former Fianna Fáil minister and member of the Padraig Pearses club, was re-elected by 139 votes to 93 for former hurling board secretary John Fahy from St Thomas.

Meanwhile the race to become the new Galway hurling manager is down to five, with former minor and U21 manager John Hardiman yesterday pulling out of the race.

That leaves five candidates in the battle to succeed Anthony Cunningham but it is believed there may be further withdrawals before interviews take place at the weekend.

Treacy said that the remaining candidates have until Friday to confirm their intention to run.

“There are five candidates remaining and they have until to Friday to make their minds up. There is no deadline on it, we just want to get the right person for the job,” he said.