Priests ask Cork County Board to be more mindful of organising club fixtures on Easter Saturday

Cork County Board executive have been asked by local priests to be more mindful of organising club fixtures on Easter Saturday.

A letter written by Cobh parish priest Fr Tom McDermott on behalf of the council of priests of the Cloyne to the executive was read out at Tuesday’s board meeting.

Easter Sunday falls on April 21, in the middle of club month with a number of fixtures expected to take place that day.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner yesterday, Fr McDermott explained it is forcing some parishioners to choose between attending GAA or Easter services that day. “The concern was that it was dividing the community and creating an issue for parishioners wanting to go to matches but also wanting to be at the Easter Vigil,” he said. “All we asked was it (the clash) would be kept in mind in arranging club games in the future.”

Meanwhile, a number of clubs are considering their options regarding Central Council’s interpretation of the GAA’s Official Guide that a player must be at least 17 on January 1 to play U21 for their club. The call by Ard Chomhairle this weekend has enraged small clubs who won’t be able to field 16-year-olds who turn 17 in 2019. It has been suggested an application may be made to the Disputes Resolution Authority.

Elsewhere, Clare All-Star forward John Conlon is out of the rest of the league after suffering an ankle injury in the win over Wexford last Sunday. The Clonlara man is expected to be sidelined for four weeks - the Division 1 final takes place on March 24.

Dublin’s Kerry-born midfielder Darragh O’Connell has been ruled out of Sunday’s final Division 1B game against Laois after it was confirmed he had indeed been shown a straight red card in last weekend’s win over Waterford. O’Connell was dismissed for protesting Waterford’s last-gasp penalty, which was saved by Alan Nolan. It was unclear at the time if referee Fergal Horgan had shown the player a red or a second yellow but it has been confirmed as red.