Motion passes unanimously
EIRE OG GREYSTONES brought the seventh motion to the County Convention in Aughrim on Monday night. The motion Dual clubs cannot be fixed to play championship matches in both codes at a shorter interval than 48 hours without their consent came about as a direct result of the north Wicklow side having to play two key championship games in the space of 22 hours with eight players effected by the overlapping fixtures.
Eire Og Chairman John Keane took to the floor in county buildings in Joule Park Aughrim and laid out the thinking and reasoning behind the motion.
The motion, I think, speaks for itself. Its in relation to the situation we found ourselves where we had to play Glenealy in a county hurling semi-final and Baltinglass in a county quarter-final replay in football within the space of 22 hours.
We felt very strongly about this at the time, that we were forced into this situation, we failed to understand why this happened, we still fail to understand why this happened why it happened. It is an issue that is not only affecting everyone here in this county, it is also a national issue.
I read with interest the reports from the county in relation to player welfare and everyone agrees that its a great thing but its talk. And, when we were looking for action we were let down badly.
ire g Greystones are a dual club. We fought very hard over the years to establish ourselves in a town that is not a GAA town. We have our little part of the town but thats it.
Weve fought very hard to develop our hurling and weve established our camogie section this year which is blooming but, again, its a yearly battle to keep things going.
It is very hard to stand in front of a player and explain to him why he has to play the two most important games of his year within a 22-hour period. It directly affected eight players who were dual players on the panel, four players who started both games and two subs who were introduced.
It really is an issue that is a county issue, but is also a national issue. Ive two key points. One of them is that dual clubs should not be affected in the lead up to important matches like this and to give fair chance to prepare properly. And thats all we asked at the beginning of the year. It was exactly what every other club would have expected and what we expected ourselves.
The lead up to both games, where we went to on a Thursday night before the game and on the Saturday where we didnt know if we were going to play both games, which is totally unacceptable.
My last key point is for the delegates here themselves. If you feel that its right for the likes of Chester (Stephen) Kelly and Billy Cuddihy, two former captains of Wicklow, who have played for years and have represented club and county, and if you think its right for them to play the two most important matches of their year in a 24-hour period then vote against the motion.
If you feel that it is wrong, then please vote for the motion, he said.
Carnews James Bear Doran asked if he could make a small amendment to the motion made by ire g Greystones.
Could I ask to make an amendment to that, just a small thing there, dual clubs, it should be dual player, because we had a player (who had to play) within a two-hour period against yourselves (ire g), said Doran.
ire g agreed to the amendment.
Chairman of the CCC, Mick Hagan, said that his organisation would fully support the motion because it would give the CCC a bit of leeway with regard to fixing games as well. Rathnew Chairman Bobby Dignam also voiced his support for the motion.
The motion was passed unanimously.
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