Changes to hurling league for 5 counties

[nrico2006]

Weird one. So why would they count?

[johnnycool]

Weird one. So why would they count?

Because it suited someones agenda.

[marty34]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/hurling/2023/1121/1417673-fermanagh-shocked-by-gaas-hurling-league-proposal/

Fermanagh GAA have said they are "shocked and disappointed" at the GAA's proposal that any county with fewer than five adult hurling teams should be excluded from the Allianz League and consigned to the fifth-tier Lory Meagher Cup only from 2025 onwards, and have called for it to be rejected.

If Central Council passes the recommendation, it would see the Erne County join Cavan, Leitrim, Longford and Louth with an inter-county season reduced from six to three months.

Louth will be the only one of the counties that will play above Lory Meagher level next year.

Fermanagh GAA held a special meeting of the county committee last night to discuss the proposals from the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) on hurling development in weaker counties. Representatives from the county hurling team management and players were also in attendance.

The meeting was unanimous in calling for the proposals to be rejected and they have urged all counties to them in voting against the proposal at the Ard Chomhairle meeting on 2 December.

In a statement they said: "Fermanagh GAA wish to put on record of our shock and disappointment at the proposals. We do not concur that we were appropriately consulted on a proposal of this magnitude to remove Fermanagh from the Allianz Hurling League prior to them being presented at the Ard Chomhairle meeting of 4 November.

"Fermanagh GAA have worked extremely hard with our small base of volunteers over the last number of years to develop sustainable hurling structures to allow the game to grow and flourish. This year along with our seven underage clubs we have three adult clubs participating in Championships.

"Along with our well-established hurling club of Lisbellaw St.Patrick's, we were able to recommence our Junior Hurling Championship with Erne Gaels winning over Lisnaskea Emmetts. These are small but important steps in the growth of hurling in Fermanagh, which we will continue to work hard to grow further.

"We are extremely proud of the achievements our senior county hurling team especially in recent years, winning the Allianz league Division 3B title and promotion in 2022, winning the Lory Meagher Cup on two occasions (2021 & 2015) and reaching the final on three other occasions (2020, 2014 & 2012).

"We retained our Nickey Rackard Cup status in 2022 and narrowly missed out this year by a slim margin in a number of games. We also note the outstanding performance of Luca McCusker, representing Ireland, in the recent Shinty International with Scotland.

"To deny our hurlers the opportunity to represent their county on fewer occasions than other counties would be a travesty and detrimental to the development of hurling in Fermanagh.

"We call for a serious discussion on hurling resources within the smaller counties and again ask for a fairer distribution of funding to support hurling in Fermanagh."

Well done Fermanagh.

Hopefully the other counties' County Board pull a meeting together this week, if not already, discuss and put out a similar statement.

GPA statement, signed by 11 Liam MacCarthy Cup captains, has called on the GAA to withdraw the proposal that counties with less than five adult hurling clubs should be excluded from playing in the Allianz Hurling League from 2025.

The controversial CCCC proposal will go before Central Council on Saturday week (December 2). If it is passed, Leitrim, Fermanagh, Cavan, Louth and Longford will be affected, with their inter-county season cut from six to three months.

The statement, also signed by the senior hurling panels and clubs of the five counties concerned, reads: "We, the undersigned, are calling on the CCCC of the GAA, to withdraw the proposal that would see five counties excluded from the National Hurling League from 2025 onwards.

"It has become clear that the consultation referred to in the proposal was not conducted with the right people or with the correct information being discussed.

"This is clearly the case given that four of the five county boards involved are now publicly on the record calling for the proposal to be rejected. The players and management in Leitrim also want to see it rejected.

"Given that is the case, we believe it is in the best interests of everyone that the proposal be withdrawn. It is clearly divisive and while that may not have been the intention, it does nothing for the development of hurling.

"If the CCCC does not see fit to withdraw the proposal, we call on all County Boards to ensure their Central Council delegates vote it down and help us instead to grow the game we all love.

"What the proposal has sparked is a conversation about the health of the game north of the much talked about Galway to Dublin line.

"We believe an opportunity has now emerged to really tackle the issue. Therefore we, the undersigned, have all committed to engaging with county boards, the provincial councils, the GAA's CCCC and Central Council and anyone else who is interested in the health of hurling, to develop a plan to grow hurling within our counties and in other areas across Ireland where it is struggling.

"We will work with anyone and everyone constructively to secure the future of the game. That is our commitment."

Signed:

Lisbellaw St.Patrick's, Erne Gaels Belleek, Lisnaskea Emmett's, Fermanagh Senor Hurling Panel, Fermanagh Manager Joe Baldwin

Mullahoran St Joseph's HC, Cootehill Celtic, East Cavan Gaels, Cavan Senior Hurling Panel, Cavan Management – Ollie Bellew and Tomás Mannion

Carrick Hurling Club, Leitrim Senior Hurling Panel, Leitrim Manager Olcan Conway

Knockbridge HC, Naomh Moninne HC, St Fechin's, Louth Senor Hurling Panel

Longford Slashers HC, Wolfe Tones, Clonguish Gaels, Longford Senior Hurling Panel, Longford Manager Adrian Moran

Captains of Liam MacCarthy Teams in 2023: Eoghan Campbell (Antrim), Lee Chin (Wexford), Eoin Cody (Kilkenny), Seán O'Donoghue (Cork), Noel McGrath (Tipperary), Eoghan O'Donnell (Dublin), Dáíthí Burke (Galway), Tony Kelly (Clare), Paul Doyle (Carlow), Jamie Barron & Stephen Bennett (Waterford Joint Captains), Declan Hannon (Limerick)

The National Executive Committee of the Gaelic Players Association


As I stated last week, this has happened - good stand by the 11 hurling teams, in conjunction with the GPA.

Hopefully it carries a bit of weight and this is the last we hear of this proposal.

[johnnycool]

When this came up at CCCC none of the delegates from these counties spoke out against it or for it, all sat dumb, but I think the biggest insight came from the Leitrim county hurling manager who knows their county treasurer was openly all on for it for behind the scenes they secretly wanted it to go through under the radar but now it's blown up these sneeky hoors are all running for cover leaving CCCC rightly looking like a shower of dicks.

Time those in power understood that in a lot of instances when you're discussing the weaker codes in a lot of counties with their delegates, chairpersons etc etc you won't be getting the right story.

[seafoid]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/hurling/2023/1124/1418312-big-guns-back-smaller-counties-in-push-against-proposal/Hurling's big guns have all signed a statement calling on the GAA to withdraw a proposal to exclude any county with fewer than five adult hurling teams from the Allianz Leagues.

The resistance to the proposal - which would begin from 2025 onwards - continues to grow with the teams impacted now having the public backing of the GPA and the strongest counties in the country.

All 11 captains of the counties competing in the 2024 Liam MacCarthy Cup have signed a statement calling for a u-turn.

[seafoid]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/hurling/2023/1202/1419760-reprieve-for-counties-threatened-with-league-exclusion/The threat of Allianz Hurling League exclusion for a quintet of counties has been lifted after the proposal was withdrawn before vote at Saturday's Ard Chomhairle meeting at Croke Park.

The GAA now intend to pursue a development committee to work with the counties involved.

[johnnycool]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/hurling/2023/1202/1419760-reprieve-for-counties-threatened-with-league-exclusion/The threat of Allianz Hurling League exclusion for a quintet of counties has been lifted after the proposal was withdrawn before vote at Saturday's Ard Chomhairle meeting at Croke Park.

The GAA now intend to pursue a development committee to work with the counties involved.

They've lifted the rock on hurling development in these types of counties, will they have the toy dolls to say what they see under it?