End of the line for Mayo Over-40s?

End of the line for Over-40s?

Daniel Carey

MAYO GAA Board chairman Paddy McNicholas says there is “no way” an over-40s team can represent Mayo or take part in club competitions within the county.

He was responding to an email sent by GAA Director-General PΡraic Duffy, which warned that GAA members playing unsanctioned games face a 48-week suspension and are not covered by the Player Injury Scheme. Club units hosting such games could also be liable for injuries sustained, Duffy added.

In a letter to Board secretary Kevin O’Toole, SeΡn McCaughey reiterated a request for the St Patrick’s Masters (Over-40s) team to continue playing in the Mayo League or Reserve League and the Junior B or Junior C Championship next year. The Board had “facilitated” the team for two years, he added, and “as nothing has changed in the rule-book in the last two years”, the present situation should be allowed to continue. He added that Mayo clubs have “unanimously” supported the Masters.

“What rule in the GAA rule-book says over-40s can’t play?” Michael Lang (Tourmakeady) asked at last Thursday’s County Board meeting. Paddy McNicholas replied that “no rule” prevented over-40s from playing at club level, but there could be no over-40s team, and that a Mayo motion to reinstate the Masters competition had failed at Congress. “They won’t provide insurance – that’s the big one,” he added.

“If Kilmaine puts in a junior team, there’s nothing to stop them playing over-40s,” said Board secretary Kevin O’Toole. “But there’s no club called the Over-40s. It’s not an age restriction … it’s the fact that they’re not a club. It’s the club that enters a team.”

O’Toole noted that na h-OileΡin – an islands team made up of Clare Island, Inishturk and Inishbiggle – “had to cease” for similar reasons. “They’re lowing to play football, but we can’t enter them in any competition,” he added.

Most clubs ‘happy’ with ticket allocations

GARRYMORE GAA Club called for the formation of a special committee to allocate tickets for All-Ireland finals when Mayo are involved. A letter from club secretary Colette Farragher to Mayo GAA Board secretary Kevin O’Toole proposed a committee comprising three officers and two delegates to make the process “open and transparent”.

“Clubs have given so much to the County Board,” said Garrymore delegate John Farragher, “They’re entitled to have people on board when tickets are being allocated”. Mayo GAA Board chairman Paddy McNicholas said the matter was “something we can discuss” coming up to an All-Ireland final, but Kevin O’Toole said the distribution of tickets “is a matter for the county secretary” in conjunction with the Board’s principal officers. “It goes with the job,” he added. “If you’re unhappy with the allocation, change the officers”.

“We’re happy with the allocation,” said SeΡn Mac Éil (Knockmore). “It’s the first time we saw a list of how the tickets were allocated. We thought it was transparent [and] well thought out.” Four other delegates expressed support for this view, although Kevin McDonnell (Kilmaine) asked why clubs weren’t contacted when tickets were sold at McHale Park two days before the All-Ireland final.

Kevin O’Toole said there were less than 70 ‘restricted view’ tickets involved. “We were shutting down [that Friday afternoon],” he explained. “It was a nightmare here. People had queued up the whole day.”

Duffy gets U-21 job

TONY Duffy’s appointment as Mayo Under-21 football manager was officially rubber-stamped at last Thursday’s County Board meeting.

Mayo GAA Board chairman Paddy McNicholas said the Ballintubber man – who contested the position against Crossmolina’s Stephen Rochford – was the Executive’s choice. Duffy’s selectors will be Vincent Walsh (Claremorris), Michael Ruane (Moy Davitts) and Nigel Reape (Knockmore). His nomination was proposed by Ollie Dillon and seconded by John Hopkins.

Meanwhile, Duffy’s replacement as Mayo minor manager remains unknown. Enda Gilvarry (Killala) and a joint ticket of John Kelly (Moy Davitts) and Vincent Gavin (Swinford) have both expressed interest in the job.

“We haven’t a name to put forward for the minors or the hurling manager’s job,” said McNicholas. “We’re interviewed them [but] we’re going back to them to seek clarification on a number of issues.”

A joint managerial team (Christy Phillips and Kieran Hynes) have expressed interest in taking over the senior hurling team.

Meanwhile, the Executive nominated PΡdraic Walsh (Louisburgh) as Children’s Officer. The nomination was proposed by John Holian and seconded by John Gibbons.

CCC to propose league changes

THE Competitions Control Committee will meet this week and propose changes to the Mayo Senior Football Leagues which will go before the next County Board meeting.

CCC chairman Mike Connelly told last Thursday’s meeting that two options were discussed at length in meetings with club managers and officers. One proposal involved groups of eight with home and away matches, including eight ‘starred’ games (without county players). Another suggestion involved groups of 12 with four ‘starred’ rounds of games in August and September.

Connelly warned that if Mayo were “as successful” in 2013 as they had been in 2012, “we only have seven dates to conclude our leagues from the start until September”. He also touched on the friction between clubs and the CCC over fixtures.

“I heard that one manager said if he was asked to come in [to talk to the CCC], he’d turn the tables upside down,” said Connelly. “That’s disappointing … we’re giving them the opportunity to voice their opinions … Some decisions we took, while we got crucified for them, they were the right decisions, because if they weren’t taken, we’d be in a right mess.”

‘Imbalance’ in Junior Championship

MAYO GAA Board vice-chairman Mike Connelly has admitted there is “an imbalance” in the Junior Championship. The Competitions Control Committee will consider letting some exclusive junior clubs may play in the Junior B competition, and a Junior C Championship may be created.

Meanwhile, a play-off planned for Division 1F of the league may not now go ahead. Garrymore delegate John Farragher said his club had beaten Kiltane earlier in the year, and asked: “Does that not make us … champions?”

“There were games [conceded] in that particular league and games not played … so it comes down to a play-off game,” Mike Connelly replied. Farragher said only two teams were involved, so scoring difference and walkovers shouldn’t be relevant. Paddy McNicholas referred the matter back to the CCC, and Connelly promised to “investigate … further” and “look at the detail”.

Meanwhile, Connelly told Mattie Murphy (Shrule/Glencorrib) that the Mayo Under-21 B final was not fixed for McHale Park due to weather conditions.

Mayo GAA Board PRO Aiden McLoughlin said that problems with the Mayo GAA website fixtures and results are “hopefully … resolved” now.

NUMBER OF THE NIGHT 7

THE number of clubs who had returned standing order forms to make payments to the County Board by last Thursday, according to treasurer JP Lambe.

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY December 29

THE earliest date on which Mayo’s collective training can begin. The team will holiday in Miami, Florida between January 2 and January 9.

QUOTE UNQUOTE

“I’m coming to meetings here since 1938”

Knockmore’s SeΡn Mac Éil’s description of his long service got a big laugh at last week’s meeting.

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY December 17

THE Mayo GAA Convention will be in the McWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris on Monday, December 17.