Ulster LGFA shambles..tonights game forfeited by Derry's Steelestown

[Armagh18]

Lgfa have been caught with incompetent governance before but I'm not sure what could be done in this case. If I'm a county player I'm bringing both sets of boots to every game. The rain yesterday was horrendous in bursts so a pitch could go from playable to unplayable in 20mins. Derry is 2.5 hrs away. Setting aside the day the game was fixed, what else could be done here?

They're not county players. And playing a championship game on 3g is unheard of.

Agreed. What really would the big deal have been to put the game back to Sunday. 3 championship matches in a week is ridiculous as well

[WT4E]

I really enjoy womens football now.

But this is women making decisions - you know what they're like in general and when you get a group of them together making decisions.... pfff all bets are off to what will happen.

[bigarsedkeeper]

I really enjoy womens football now.

But this is women making decisions - you know what they're like in general and when you get a group of them together making decisions.... pfff all bets are off to what will happen.

Most people in power in the LGFA are men from my experience. Usually ones that weren't wanted in the men's game too.

I think some of this is a result of a bad spell of weather, but it comes down to bad planning that a game was called off last minute 2 Sundays ago.

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

Lgfa have been caught with incompetent governance before but I'm not sure what could be done in this case. If I'm a county player I'm bringing both sets of boots to every game. The rain yesterday was horrendous in bursts so a pitch could go from playable to unplayable in 20mins. Derry is 2.5 hrs away. Setting aside the day the game was fixed, what else could be done here?

Wise up .

So if was raining why would anyone pack mouldies. Championship should never be played midweek or on artificial or packed together so tightly.

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

I really enjoy womens football now.

But this is women making decisions - you know what they're like in general and when you get a group of them together making decisions.... pfff all bets are off to what will happen.

I think its brutal but steelstown been treated like crap.

And the letter was signed by men

[Armagh18]

Lgfa have been caught with incompetent governance before but I'm not sure what could be done in this case. If I'm a county player I'm bringing both sets of boots to every game. The rain yesterday was horrendous in bursts so a pitch could go from playable to unplayable in 20mins. Derry is 2.5 hrs away. Setting aside the day the game was fixed, what else could be done here?

Wise up .

So if was raining why would anyone pack mouldies. Championship should never be played midweek or on artificial or packed together so tightly.

100% agreed.

[tintin25]

I mentioned earlier this year regarding LGFA officialdom (in the Tyrone club thread) that when things go fine in the association they usually go very well, but when they don't go well the screw-ups can go big! IMO in general this is down to the admin levels at county & provincial levels not really having scaled up over the years to accommodate the larger amount of clubs & players involved in the game over the years, alongside the case that very, very few LGFA units own their own facilities and are dependent on general GAA goodwill. But that's a matter for another time.

Looking at the central LGFA fixture masterplan, the All-Ireland senior/intermediate/junior club quarter finals are down for 19/20 November with the semi-finals on the 26/27 and the finals a fortnight later on the 10/11 of December. I'm not sure if the Ulster IFC winners for this year play in an All-Ireland quarter final but if they do, then having the Steelstown vs. Castlerahan/Denn semi-final this weekend would force the final vs. Derrygonnelly to be the following weekend with the winners straight into an All-Ireland quarter final the next weekend, and that the Ulster LGFA fixtures organisers were reluctant to go down this route. Without more details, it's not easy to say. One thing is for sure however is that since the provincial & All-Ireland club championships are played on a tight calendar, it should be the case that where there is a home side in a tie they should have a standby venue arranged to take the game at a moments notice - and if it's on an all-weather surface the opposition should be noted this in advance. Running off such competitions with little room for rescheduling really requires this to be in place.

Unfortunately, having this game switched to the 3G pitch at Breffni at pretty much the last minute while a team was already traveling does not look good on those responsible for arranging the fixture/venue & I wouldn't blame Steelstown if they logged an appeal given the circumstances they found themselves in through no fault of their own.

On a similar gripe, I wonder how on earth were Derrygonnelly allowed to compete in the Ulster & All-Ireland IFC championships after being defeated earlier this year in the Fermanagh SFC final by Kinawley? Surely you should only be competing in one consistent grade and that is that?

Bit more to it.  Fermanagh didn't have a Senior championship, but when Kinawley won the county and Ulster Intermediate title last year they had to go Senior.  Can hardly have a Senior championship with one team, so Derrygonnelly and Enniskillen participated in it this year.  Think the agreement was that if Derrygonnelly or Enniskillen didn't win they could enter the Intermediate championship.  Derrygonnelly never won the Intermediate title before this year.

[nrico2006]

DIsgrace that Steelstown were prevented from playing a match they wanted to. Surely they should not be punished due to bad organisation. As for bringing two types of boots, a lot do this but not all. At this time of year you are pretty much going to go for studs all the time, especially in the evening.

[StephenC]

So Steelstown were informed in advance that the 3G pitch was the back-up venue? But obviously didn't think to pack boots for that eventuality?

[Armagh18]

So Steelstown were informed in advance that the 3G pitch was the back-up venue? But obviously didn't think to pack boots for that eventuality?

Harsh. No competitive game should be played on a 3G pitch anyway.

[Itchy]

So Steelstown were informed in advance that the 3G pitch was the back-up venue? But obviously didn't think to pack boots for that eventuality?

Harsh. No competitive game should be played on a 3G pitch anyway.

I think there's no question the timing of fixtures was very unfair. Not playing competitive games on 3g, not sure about that. This year all fbd league games in Connacht were played in the Dome on Astro for example.

[Armagh18]

So Steelstown were informed in advance that the 3G pitch was the back-up venue? But obviously didn't think to pack boots for that eventuality?

Harsh. No competitive game should be played on a 3G pitch anyway.

I think there's no question the timing of fixtures was very unfair. Not playing competitive games on 3g, not sure about that. This year all fbd league games in Connacht were played in the Dome on Astro for example.

Ever play on it? Hateful surface to be on imo.

[nrico2006]

So Steelstown were informed in advance that the 3G pitch was the back-up venue? But obviously didn't think to pack boots for that eventuality?

Harsh. No competitive game should be played on a 3G pitch anyway.

Were they informed? If so, were they told they wouldn't be able to wear studs?

[Itchy]

So Steelstown were informed in advance that the 3G pitch was the back-up venue? But obviously didn't think to pack boots for that eventuality?

Harsh. No competitive game should be played on a 3G pitch anyway.

I think there's no question the timing of fixtures was very unfair. Not playing competitive games on 3g, not sure about that. This year all fbd league games in Connacht were played in the Dome on Astro for example.

Ever play on it? Hateful surface to be on imo.

Depends if you're a fast corner forward or a slow corner back.

[Armagh18]

So Steelstown were informed in advance that the 3G pitch was the back-up venue? But obviously didn't think to pack boots for that eventuality?

Harsh. No competitive game should be played on a 3G pitch anyway.

I think there's no question the timing of fixtures was very unfair. Not playing competitive games on 3g, not sure about that. This year all fbd league games in Connacht were played in the Dome on Astro for example.

Ever play on it? Hateful surface to be on imo.

Depends if you're a fast corner forward or a slow corner back.

True! Sore on the joints in my experience anyway!