John Hynes predicts huge Galway support for Leinster exit

Galway GAA secretary John Hynes believes the motion to facilitate the county’s exit of Leinster and switch to the Munster championship will be “overwhelmingly” passed at next month’s convention.

Hynes expects the proposal of his native club Liam Mellows to have piqued the interest of Leinster officials and is adamant that Galway moving to Munster would create a “significant imbalance” between the two provinces.

The hub of the motion is to empower the county to make an approach to Munster about their inter-county teams taking part in the Munster championships from 2018 forward. Liam Mellows also recommend that a series of rules in the GAA Official Guide be amended so as to ensure all of Galway’s inter-county teams – minor, U21, intermediate, and senior – participate fully in a single provincial system.

Eight years and 23 games after moving into Leinster, Galway haven’t hosted a single game and have been repeatedly told that there is no prospect of this changing anytime in the near future.

Since Pearse Stadium was redeveloped, the city has hosted just two high-profile championship hurling matches; the 2003 qualifier against Tipperary and the 2011 qualifier against Clare. The last U21 championship fixture to take place in the county was back in 1968, while there has been no minor championship game in Galway in 1966.

“The motion of the Liam Mellows club reflects the mood of frustration among clubs in the county,” said Hynes. “Talking about bringing our minors and U21s into Leinster is a waste of time because we were told three times that we would not be accommodated. Obviously, the club picked up on this and that if we’re not going to be taken into Leinster, then we have to move elsewhere.

“If Galway were accommodated in Munster, it would create a significant imbalance among the provinces and it would then become a national issue from a hurling point of view.

“Given the feedback we have got from clubs before the motion came in and immediately after the motion was released, my feeling is that it will be overwhelmingly passed. If delegates don’t accept the motion, then we are as we are for another year. It is really putting it up to the hurling community to make a decision.”