Ryan: Intervention by GAA in Glen-Crokes saga would have been 'completely inappropriate'

Tom Ryan explained why neither he nor GAA president Larry McCarthy became involved in the matter.

Ard Stiúrthóir of the GAA Tom Ryan speaking during the GAA Annual Report Launch at Croke Park in Dublin. Picture: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

An intervention by GAA leadership in the Kilmacud Crokes-Glen All-Ireland senior club football saga would have been “the worst thing we could possibly do”, according to director general Tom Ryan.

As Crokes look set to challenge the Central Competitions Control Committee’s (CCCC) verdict to order a replay to the Central Appeals Committee based on them having more than 15 players on the field in the closing stages of the game, Ryan explained why neither he nor GAA president Larry McCarthy became involved in the matter.

While McCarthy was loath to discuss it – “The process is in progress and it will work itself out. Any comments on it at this stage would be inappropriate” – Ryan defended the pair’s stance during the controversy.

“I don’t really think it helps matter too much if we dive in. The worst thing we could possibly do is — and I’ve seen this mentioned in dispatches — the GAA to step in (because) there’s a deficit there, the GAA should intervene and direct something.

“I have never picked up the phone to the chair of the CCCC or anybody on the CCCC to say, ‘Derek (Kent, CCCC chairman), this is the way I want this to go’. I will not do that. Any suggestion implied or explicit that in some way we should have been directing something, that’s completely wrong. Completely inappropriate.

“To the extent that people don’t get that, that’s okay. It’s a pity but certainly I don’t think it would have added to things terribly much if we were to come out and re-enforce that you (Gaelic games media) had already communicated very well in terms of this is the way it has to play out.

“The safest thing we can do is to abide by the process that is tried and trusted and it works. We have to be really careful not to intervene but to undermine that process either.”

Ryan accepted there will be more of a workload on fixture and disciplinary bodies this summer as 40 additional games are added, the majority of them to the football championship in a short timeframe. 

“The expectation is that it will put a little bit more pressure on us. The job is you can accommodate that extra pressure without undermining what has stood us in good stead up to now.” 

In his annual report, Ryan touched on the current integration process with the Ladies Gaelic Football and Camogie Association, which is spearheaded by the group led by former President of Ireland Mary McAleese.

Warning in the press conference afterwards of headaches it will have to tackle such as club affiliations, he dampened some expectations about the shared structure in his report. “Equality is sometimes cited as an imperative here. I completely agree with that but I want to sound a note of caution. Even within today’s GAA, I am very conscious there are instances where we don’t, and cannot, guarantee equality.

“Counties differ in terms of resources, different codes are given priority in different parts of the country, the lot of the junior club players differs from that of the All Star winner.

“I know that some of these are the inevitable consequence of an organisation based on competition, but some which should be addressed, irrespective of where our journey with Camogie and Ladies Football takes us. Gender equality is vital but is one strand of this agenda.” 

Ryan did not mention in his report the 40% gender balance that the GAA’s management committee must reach by the end of the year to ensure future state funding.

However, he acknowledged that remains the organisation’s intention, with the current representation 18.5%. “We’re very aware of the imperative and the reasoning behind it and our responsibilities around it.

“As recently as two weeks ago at the last Coiste Bainisti meeting, we did discuss in detail as to how we can get to the representation levels required. What came out of that was not a specific endorsement of that particular plan but reassuringly an endorsement of the concept that we need to deliver upon and we will do it within that timeframe.” 

He gave tentative support to the split season but in the first of a three-year experiment wants to wait before fully endorsing it and feels summer All-Ireland finals are here to stay. 

“I don’t envisage a return to the much loved September All-Ireland finals that we all grew up with. I completely understand the power of tradition, and all that those weekends entailed. However times change and we have to change with them. We have the opportunity now to start building summer traditions for a new generation of GAA players and supporters.” 

On age grades, he voiced no preference for U17 being retained at  minor level or it being returned to U18. Nor does he argue that all counties should be tied to one but insisted on uniformity at county level. He also stressed the importance of decoupling being retained. 

“Whether that (minor) turns out to be 17 or 18, I do firmly believe that a ‘developing’ player should not be asked to play at adult level.” 

Ryan added that the GAA has no plans to appoint a new director of hurling after Martin Fogarty finished his term in August 2021 and the role will become part of the games development brief “rather than hanging on the shoulders of one particular person. It’s quite a significant burden.”