Kerry's Mark Griffin joins Eire Óg in Cork

All-Ireland winner's transfer ratified by Cork County Board, and coul dmake debut this weekend

ON THE MOVE: Mark Griffin of Kerry

All-Ireland winning Kerry footballer Mark Griffin has transferred to Cork club Éire Óg.

The addition of the defender-cum-midfielder is a significant boost to the Ovens club who competed in the top tier of the Cork football championship for the first time in 2021, their maiden Premier Senior campaign ended by eventual champions St Finbarr’s at the quarter-final stage.

Griffin, who joins from St Michael’s Foilmore, won six Munster SFC medals during his time in green and gold. Kerry’s first-choice full-back in 2016 and 2017, he stepped away from the inter-county scene ahead of the 2020 season. Griffin was 28 at the time. He is set to make his debut for the club in the opening round of the Kelleher Shield this weekend against county champions, St Finbarr's

Elsewhere, East Cork GAA division Imokilly has called on the Cork County Board executive to lobby Croke Park to permit cash transactions at matchday venues.

The association’s cashless ticketing policy has drawn strong criticism from Cork delegates in recent weeks, with a letter from Imokilly secretary Daniel Lane on the matter read out at yesterday evening’s county board meeting.

“At the last meeting of the East Cork Board, a number of delegates raised the issue of the cashless entry policy, which has come into effect at all county and national fixtures. Our delegates feel strongly that this policy is alienating many older people who do not have the ability to purchase a ticket online or have to get a family member or friend to purchase on their behalf which is removing their independence,” Lane wrote, on behalf of the Imokilly board.

“The GAA has at all times been a pillar of our communities and an inclusive organisation, but this policy is having the opposite effect. We feel Cork GAA should take the lead on this and lobby Croke Park to review this matter immediately.

“As a minimum, our clubs would like to see a number of stalls open for cash only, which would enter for the older generation and also for those that decide at the last minute to attend.” 

Cork County Board secretary Kevin O’Donovan cautioned delegates “not to throw the baby out with the bathwater” when it comes to deciding underage grades in the months ahead.

The Central Council motion for an U19 inter-county grade failed to receive enough support at Congress, but will be revisited at Special Congress later in the year, along with proposals to return the minor age-grade at club level to U18.

“Decoupling our adult from our underage competitions allows everybody to get meaningful games. Currently, we are decoupled at 17. If there is a move to go to 18, people will have to make a judgement call then as to whether it is more important for the club to have those 18-year-olds or whether it is more important for those 18-year-olds to have another year of underage without adult. People will say we can have our cake and eat it. My point is I don’t think you can,” said O’Donovan.