Derry County Board vs Brian McGilligan and Niall Conway

Started by whiskeysteve, August 08, 2008, 03:45:59 PM

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Have the Derry County Board taken the right action in charging Brian McGilligan and Niall Conway with "misconduct considered to have discredited the Association."?

Yes, the public criticism both men made should result in suspensions
3 (4.7%)
Yes, but they should be let off without suspension
2 (3.1%)
No, the county board have made a mistake in this instance but I am happy with their perfomance in general
3 (4.7%)
No, this is the latest in a string of chronic errors from an incompetent county board and its time for new blood at the top
53 (82.8%)
Don't care
3 (4.7%)

Total Members Voted: 62

whiskeysteve

Irish News article as posted on the Derry thread:

Outspoken Oak Leaf duo in the dock
By Paddy Heaney

THE Derry County  Board is planning to charge their senior hurling manager and minor football manager with "misconduct considered to have discredited the Association." Under Rule 146 (e), former All-Ireland medallist Brian McGilligan and Ballinderry's Niall Conway face a minimum eight-week suspension or "fines, disqualification, debarment, and expulsion from the Association". Oak Leaf officials are incensed by critical comments made by McGilligan and Conway that were published in The Irish News on July 17 and July 22.

The Derry County Board issued a statement to clubs this week which expressed its disappointment "at the public vilification, totally unfounded and unwarranted... by some team managers in their public statements''.The statement from the Derry board makes it quite clear that the team managers in question are McGilligan and Conway.

Firstly it reveals that the County Board Executive Committee "discussed the recent articles that appeared in The Irish News on July 17 and 22nd." (Conway's criticism was published on July 17 andMcGilligan's on July 22). The statement then makes direct reference to quotes that were made by Conway and McGilligan. Conway cited "a simple case of player welfare'' as his reason for stepping down as the minor football manager. McGilligan blasted the county board for trying to put the senior hurling team "out of business''.

The statement issued to the Derry clubs said: "the Board, as elected by you the clubs, recognises its responsibility to clarify that this committee does not neglect 'player welfare,' nor seek to put hurling 'out of business'.''

Clearly enraged at the remarks by McGilligan and Conway, the Derry Board said it feels it would be "failing in its duty to clubs, the various committees and the many volunteers, if these matters were not addressed". The statement concluded that the "individuals who have been involved in the public vilification of the Derry County Committee, its CCC and its volunteers, will be called under Rule 146 (e).

While the Derry board clearly feels that it needs to quell internal dissent, the decision to discipline McGilligan and Conway is certain to cause furore within the county's GAA community. Brian McGilligan is a hugely popular and widely-admired figure. He was plucked from relative obscurity by the legendary Kevin Heffernan, who selected him to represent Ireland in the International Rules series. McGilligan went on to win two Allstars (1987 and 1993), and an All-Ireland medal in 1993. Although McGilligan earned fame as a footballer, his first love is hurling. The Dungiven man was "shocked" when he learned that the county board plans to take disciplinary action against him, but he wasn't apologetic about his recent remarks.

McGilligan said: "Unlike many other inter-county managers, I don't get expenses from the county board. I don't claim expenses. "Nobody else wanted the job of managing the senior and U21 hurling team. I'm doing this as a favour to the county board. "Asa GAA volunteer, and as a member of the GAA, I am entitled to my opinion and I will be giving my opinion to the county board if they charge me with this. I'll let them know what I have to say first." McGilligan'sU21 side won the Ulster hurling title and are due to play Tipperary in the All-Ireland semi-final on August 23. The former Derry star said he would not be prepared to remain in his role as the senior and U21 hurling manager if the county board proceeds with its plan to charge him with discrediting the Association. "If they suspend me, I would classify that as being sacked,'' he said.

Outgoing minor manager, Niall Conway also stood by his criticism of the county board. "I make no apologies for that. I gave my heart and soul to the Derry minors for two years," said Conway. "I don't think Derry football is going in the right direction and I still maintain that. "That's obvious when you look at the quality of the players in Derry and then compare them to some of the teams that played in Croke Park at the weekend. "I believe that Derry football is not going in the right direction and it all comes from the top."
Somewhere, somehow, someone's going to pay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPhISgw3I2w

billy the kid

I sometimes wonder is it the "Derry County Board" Or the "Derry Gestapo"

They dont mind taking all the credit when things are going well but god help any man who speaks out about them being useless.

Reminds me off a few years back when the Gestapo hardly ever fixed hurling league games and the hurling clubs were losing patience with them.  In one year nobody had played anymore than 4 out of 12 league games and some had only played 3 (when division 1 had 7 teams) and was the 3rd year in a row this had happened. All the teams were mad looking games but the county board wouldnt fix any and when the clubs said they would sort it out themselves and fix their own games the Gestapo threatened them with expulsion from the league and championship.

A prominent Lavey Hurling manager wrote a letter to the Irish news about it stating the facts and figures and was quickly brought before the firing squad and suspended and warned about his future behaviour.

Another example is the Former Hurling delegate to the Ulster council who had the cheek to be honest when asked how are the Derry county Board supporting hurling in the county and what else do they need to be doing?  As you can imagine the honest answers in to this left the Derry county board sitting in a pretty bad light and they said they would sort it all out.  And sort it out they did - they kicked the hurling delegate out.
If it moves hit it
If it doesnt hit it anyway!!

JMohan

From the outside it looks just like what they did to the only man who brought them an All-Ireland - Coleman RIP

Sad future ahead for Derry

whiskeysteve

Somewhere, somehow, someone's going to pay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPhISgw3I2w

gaagaa


Paddy1804

The board are a disgrace... They need to look at themselves and then have a look at other county boards, I.e the Tyrone and Armagh boards. Conway's right, football is going nowhere in Derry and it has nothing to do with potential or lack of talent

Armagh Exile

What's so good about the Armagh and Tyrone County Boards and is so bad about the Derry Board?

glenullinabu

at the end of the day its up to the clubs to nominate people to challenge those in positions
itll be the same story at the county agm
we all whinge about this and that but how many of us step up to the plate to make a difference
i totally disagree with some things the board have done but at the end of the day they are unpaid officials - only some of them have inflated egos but most of them are trying their best
the treatment of the hurlers was a disgrace but this needfs to be sorted amicably behind closed doors
derry is humiliating itself (again)


carribbear

Quote from: glenullinabu on August 26, 2008, 11:44:39 PM

we all whinge about this and that but how many of us step up to the plate to make a difference


Brian McGilligan did for the hurling team and look how the county board treated him. GAA supporters can see the treatment he's received but county boards are a closed shop once it comes to dealing out their verdicts...too much backscratching and looking out for themselves.