by Seamus Hayes
The February meeting of Clare GAA took place at Treacy’s West County hotel on Tuesday night and attracted one of the biggest attendances at the monthly gathering for some time. Amongst the topics up for discussion were the fixtures plan for the season and the appointment of a number of sub committees for 2022.
Penninsula clubs join forces
Naomh Eoin, O’Currys and St. Senans Kilkee have agreed to join forces to compete in the 2022 Clare senior football championship.
Letters from all three clubs requesting permission were before the February meeting of Clare GAA on Tuesday night in which they outlined that they currently compete together at underage level.
Worldwide interest in Clare GAA house draw
There is worldwide interest in Clare GAA’s fundraiser draw for a house in Lahinch, committee member Denis Cullinan told the February board meeting.
“People from Shanghai, Bangkok and from all over the world have supported this draw and with three months to go I am asking clubs to get behind it. Some clubs have been very good and some not so good. We are adding more prizes and one of these is an international prize of 2 return tickets from anywhere in the World plus two tickets to an All-Ireland final of the winner’s choice. Currently clubs get €25 from each ticket they sell but this offer ends on April 4”, Ennistymon man Cullinan told the meeting before pointing out that to date one club has earned €6,000 commission, another has earned €5,000, another €3,500 while a number have earned between €2,500 and €3,000.
Asking the clubs to support the draw, board chairman Kieran Keating told the meeting “We are beyond break even at this stage”.
Harty cup winners congratulated..
Board chairman Kieran Keating extended congratulations to St. Josephs Tulla on their Harty cup victory. They are an inspiring team and we have invited them to be our guests on Sunday at the league game in Cusack Park (Clare v Wexford)
O’Gorman cup
Permission was granted to Doonbeg GAA to hold the annual O’Gorman cup competition in 2022. John Keane from Doonbeg told the meeting that application forms had been sent to the clubs and the first round is scheduled for the weekend of March 5/6.
Junior C football
Corofin will have a third adult football team in 2022 and they have requested Clare GAA to consider the introduction of a junior C football competition. Board chairman Kieran Keating asked delegates to enquire from their clubs if they would be interested in competing at this level and to led the county secretary know their views as soon as possible.
In their letter requesting permission to have a third adult team, Corofin pointed out that if there isn’t a C competition at this level they will seek to have their current junior B team moved up to junior A so that the new team can compete at junior B level.
Whitegate have also applied to have a third adult team in 2022 and they have sought permission for this team to compete at junior C level.
“Good observations” in minor manager’s report
The newly appointed coaching and games committee of Clare GAA is to consider a letter from the county’s 2021 minor hurling manager, Terence Chaplin (Sixmilebridge).
Board chairman Kieran Keating deferred reading the letter at this week’s board meeting until a decision is made on the format of next year’s minor competition (inter county). “There are some good observations and some good ideas in this letter which the manager has circulated to the clubs. I will ask the coaching and games committee to consider this”, he said
Sixmilebridge delegate Niall Gilligan said “overall there is a bigger issue here. We have a very good structure in place with development squads now and there is a very good under 20 management in place. When players finish at under 17 there is nothing more for them if they are not good enough for under 20. Some of those players clubs don’t have a gym. There is no guidance for players of 19 and 20. Terence send in this report on July 28 and he is very disappointed that he didn’t get a response”
Continuing Gilligan said “we need a meaningful under 19 competition for these lads. They need matches otherwise they will go and play soccer and rugby”.
Supporting Gilligan’s comments, Éire Óg’s Rory Hickey said “the drop off rate is phenomenal”
‘Isolated player’ issue to be looked at
Following the reading by Bord na nÓg officers, Neil O’Brien(hurling chairman) and Anne Hayes (football secretary) of a long list of players seeking permission to assist clubs as isolated player), board chairman Kieran Keating suggested “this system needs to be looked at. How many of these players are well served by this system?. If the clubs these players are going from have these numbers, why don’t they have their own team. It deserves looking at. There are big numbers going to some clubs”.
Where is this all going to end up asked O’Callaghans Mills delegate Robert Frost. “The whole situation needs to be looked at. How are the Bord na nÓgs going to run their fixtures? The situation needs to be looked at and bring a report to convention at the end of the year”, Frost said.
Sub committees appointed;
The appointment of a number of sub committees was ratified at Tuesday’s meeting as follows;
Coaching and Games; Sean O’Halloran (chairman) Micheal Duffy (secretary), Kieran Corcoran (primary schools hurling) Joe Garry (primary schools football), Pat Gavin and Anne Hayes(representing Bord na nOgs), Paul Redy (secondary schools football), Donal Moloney, David Tubridy, Jamesie O’Connor with two more to be appointed.
Safety and facilities; Michael Maher, Gerry Lynch, Pat Fitzgerald, Martin McNamara, Kieran Keating with an events planner to be added
Planning and Training; Paddy Smith (Eire Og), Sean McMahon (St. Josephs), Joan Crotty (Scariff), Vincent Delaney (Sixmilebridge), Kieran Keating;
Competitions Control Committee (CCC); Kieran Keating (chairman), Pat Fitzgerald (secretary), Rebecca Sexton (treasurer), Michael Maher, Seamus Hayes, Ambrose Heagney, Tom Duggan with the referee’s administrator to be added. Chairman Keating told the delegates that he had asked the referees to meet and appoint their officers and committee after which he will meet with them before confirming who will be the referee’s administrator on the CCC for 2022.
Éire Óg’s Rory Hickey offered his services as the administrator. He told the meeting that he was an inter county referee for fifteen years and that he had refereed seven senior finals in Clare in that time. Injury had forced him to retire from refereeing. “I have a bit to offer and I could help the board. I was approached by a numbers of senior referees to consider this since Damian Fox stepped down from the role”.
Supporting Hickey, former chairman Robert Frost said “he would be an excellent choice”.
