BY JOHNNY CAROLAN
GAA CLUBS in Cork are likely to vote in November on a proposal which would see minor competitions return to U18 – but preclude those players from playing senior, intermediate or premier junior levels.
On Saturday, the GAA will hold a special Congress, with one of the motions up for discussion centred around allowing counties to deviate from the policy of having minor at U17.
While minor at inter-county level will remain U17, there is a strong appetite for a return of U18 competitions for clubs. It is expected that the motion – which requires 60 percent approval – will pass at the weekend with few issues.
Cork County Board brought forward its October monthly meeting by a week to last Tuesday, September 26th, so as to discuss the Congress motions. At the meeting, held in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, the first ten motions – which include removing the All-Ireland senior hurling preliminary quarter-finals and redressing gender imbalance on national committees – passed on the nod.
With regard to number 11, the minor age-grade, the board’s executive put forward a proposal that will be discussed in November, should the motion pass.
It would restore minor to U18 in the county but, in order to avoid fixture-congestion, there would be a decoupling between adult and minor from premier senior down to premier junior. U18s would be allowed to play for their clubs from junior A downwards, regardless of whether that is for a first, second or third team.
Cork secretary/CEO Kevin O’Donovan laid out the situation to delegates: ‘We have a desire to get back to U18, U16 and U14 but we don’t want a free-for-all.’
County vice-chairperson Pat Horgan said that the motion looked as if it had been ‘crafted to suit Cork’ after pushing for it at national level and said that this represented significant progress after two and a half years of debate.
‘We’re going for the half-loaf of bread, rather than risking going for the whole lot,’ he said.
Damien Irwin of Killeagh spoke of how the club’s view had changed over the past year, seeing U18s flourish playing for their senior A, junior A and junior B teams.
He said that, if U18s were prohibited from adult levels, ‘Soccer and rugby will fill the void and give them the games they crave. The profile of rugby is rising, there’s a battle for hearts and minds going on.
‘We understand the position being taken, but it should be regarded as an evolving one.’
Responding to a question from Irwin regarding the U21 grade, O’Donovan said that that would be looked at once minor is locked down. Freemount’s John O’Flynn supported the motion as it helped smaller clubs, while Rebel Óg were firmly in favour too.
With no level of sufficient opposition to force a vote, Marc Sheehan declared Cork’s support for motion 11.
Clonakilty's Fergal Murphy battling with Nemo Rangers' Luke Horgan during the Bon Secours PSFC quarter-final at Bandon. (Photo: Paddy Feen)
Meanwhile, Denis O’Sullivan (Clonakilty) asked why there had not been a pitch inspection held before last Saturday evening’s Bon Secours Hospital Premier SFC quarter-final between his club and Nemo Rangers in Bandon.
The game finished 0-5 to 0-4 for Nemo with the weather conditions worsening as the game went on. O’Sullivan praised Bandon for the job they did hosting but felt that there had not been a sufficient examination of the pitch beforehand, despite pleas from the clubs.
Marc Sheehan made clear that no directive had been given to referees regarding same. Kevin O’Donovan said that, in response to various queries about why no football quarter-finals were scheduled for Páirc Uí Chaoimh, a decision had been taken to promote football by siting these games at regional venues.
‘We regret if people were under the misunderstanding that they would be in Páirc Uí Chaoimh,’ he said.
‘To lose [only] one game last weekend was a miracle. Everyone will have their opinions.
‘This board made a decision, unfortunately it backfired due to the weather.’
Also at the meeting, Kevin O’Donovan said that December’s annual convention would allow an opportunity for the executive to bring clarity with regard to a new longer-term finance model for Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
‘Central Council agreed a finance proposal for Cork, approved by the executive’s finance committee. This is at an interest rate more in line with GAA funding as opposed to bank rates. There will be a major onus on Cork county committee to support the stadium into the future but it will be over a longer period.’
A poll on the Rebels’ Bounty draw found general support for the model. The quotas for senior and intermediate clubs go up by five each, to 105 and 75 respectively; while clubs at the premier junior grade – which did not exist when the original quotas came in – will have a quota of 65. The quotas for junior A (55), junior B and C (35) and colleges (15) remain unchanged.
Elsewhere, approval was given for the erection of a mobile phone mast by Meteor at Páirc Uí Rinn, generating €15,000 per annum over a five-year period.
