Tyrone LGFA fumes at All-Ireland fixtures clash
Supporters have been forced to choose between club and county, with families torn between attending a game at home or travelling to Croke Park for the Red Hands’ IFC title decider against Tipperary.
A statement from the Tyrone Competitions Control Committee (CCC) said every effort had been made to avoid a clash, with games fixed for Sunday kept to a minimum, in order to allow as many supporters as possible to travel to Dublin.
Four championship games are to be played on Sunday, involving the clubs of eight of the ladies’ starting 15.
The CCC said that it must ensure the three club football championships are completed in ime for county representatives to compete in the Ulster club championships.
“The CCC has responsibility within Tyrone for the organisation of all competitions and that it has taken full cognisance of the ladies All-Ireland intermediate football final next Sunday, when drafting the county’s championship fixtures for next weekend,” it said in a statement.
“Tyrone CCC’s major responsibility at present is to ensure that Tyrone will have winners decided upon to take their places in the forthcoming Ulster club championships at senior, junior, and intermediate levels.
“In drafting the programme of fixtures for next weekend, and within the constraints referred to, the CCC has ensured that the minimum number of games possible will be played on Sunday, thereby allowing as many patrons as possible to travel to Croke Park in support of the ladies’ team.”
Donna McCrory, chairwoman of the Tyrone LGFA, claimed the stand taken by the fixture-makers within the county goes against the ethos of the GAA.
“It is extremely disappointing that the Tyrone GAA CCC have confirmed that there will be no movement on their decision to play club championship games on Sunday, when our Tyrone ladies are representing the whole county in the All-Ireland final,” she said.
“The GAA, to me, is all about the family, it is certainly not about families having to choose either to watch their daughter/clubmate in an All-Ireland final or their son/clubmate in a senior championship game.”
Meanwhile, Kerry’s Darran O’Sullivan has been handed a one-game suspension following the Kingdom’s All-Ireland SFC semi-final replay defeat to Mayo.
O’Sullivan reacted furiously to his black-card dismissal in that game, angrily remonstrating with match officials at Croke Park.
The ban rules him out of the opening Allianz League match of 2018.
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