Sports

MOTIONS dealing with competition formats were, as predicted last week, deferred until the new year. These will be discussed at a special convention on January 14 when the report from the committee currently examining competitions structures and timings will be debated.Included in the 22 motions deferred are two dealing with the number of county board meetings, which should be held each year.Some debate took place on this issue last week before it was agreed to defer the proposals.Sixmilebridge are asking that there be six meetings per year, which would be attended by the club chairman/secretary, board delegate and manager of the most senior team in the club.County secretary Pat Fitzgerald said he submitted a similar motion about six years ago and went on to say why the motion was put forward. “The basis for this is to stimulate debate and discussion on the GAA in general. In many businesses, if they didn’t change for a number of years, we know …

CLARECASTLE has called for “the county  board to establish a committee to review the enforcement of the rules in relation to the Category 111 infraction – striking with hurley, either with force or causing injury. The club wants this to be undertaken as defined in Rule 7.2(b) of An Treoraí Oifigiúil 2010 part 1. “The remit of this committee should establish clear guidelines to be applied by Coiste Cheannais na gComotaisi (CCC) in determining when to invoke the gravity provision on suspensions allowed for in Rule 7.5 (b) highlighting, in particular, the consideration that should be afforded to any comments in the referee’s report relating to the seriousness/gravity of the particular offence on how to determine, in the case that the gravity provision is invoked, an appropriate suspension more severe that the minimum and up to and including the maximum allowed for in 7.5 (b)”, led to quite a lively discussion.Proposing the motion, John Callinan said, “We all know our …

SIXMILEBRIDGE GAA successfully put forward a motion to convention calling for all Munster club fixtures, including finals, to be on a home and away basis.Putting the proposal, PJ. Fitzpatrick reminded the delegates that the recent Crusheen v Na Piarsaigh final was played in Thurles when “it would have been so much more beneficial to everybody if it was played in either Cusack Park or Limerick”.Having put the proposal, which won the support of the majority of delegates present, Fitzpatrick congratulated Crusheen “on their fantastic display in the county final and on their superb performance in two epic matches in Thurles. They were outstanding games and Crusheen can really be very proud of how they represented the county.”He congratulated Na Piarsaigh on their win and the involvement of their clubman, Sean Stack as the Limerick side’s coach.The co-chairman is to appoint a sub-committee at the first committee meeting in 2012 to deal with the report that has reduced the capacity of …

THE executive of Clare GAA will appoint a child welfare officer who will replace the post of youth officer. Sandra Reynolds, the Bord na nÓg hurling secretary, was the outgoing youth officer but this position no longer exists within the GAA.Otherwise, all outgoing members of the Clare executive were returned, without opposition, for another term when delegates gathered at the annual convention. A number of these officers will have to step down at the end of 2012 as they will have completed five years in the posts they currently hold.The executive for 2012 is: president, John Hanly, Clarecastle; chairman, Michael O’Neill, Ballyea; vice-chairman, Joe Cooney, O’Callaghan’s Mills; assistant secretary, Des Crowe, Ruan; treasurer, Bernard Keane, St Joseph’s; assistant treasurer, Gerry Lynch, Tulla; public relations officer, Syl O’Connor, Sixmilebridge; Irish/culture officer, Tom Burke, Corofin; development officer, John Fawl, Ennistymon; coaching and games officer, Eamonn  Fennessy, Sixmilebridge; central council delegate, Ger Hickey, Feakle; Munster full-time official, Pat Fitzgerald, Sixmilebridge; council delegates, John …

A MOTION from Ruan asking that the senior and intermediate hurling and football championship finals be played in a pitch that is enclosed and with covered accommodation, was accepted as a recommendation.Proposing the motion, Ger Lyons said, “The finals this year were held in deplorable conditions. There was a lot of anger expressed at a meeting of our club, arising from the late notification of the change of venue for the intermediate final. Many of the supporters didn’t hear about it until 12 noon on the day of the final. People got soaked in Clarecastle, which wasn’t Clarecastle’s fault. Many could not see the game due to umbrellas and they were in no fit state to go to the senior final afterwards as they were drenched. There was a stewarding problem that day and many were allowed onto the far side causing health and safety problems. With the way the weather was this year, perhaps the senior and intermediate finals …

A MOTION from St Josephs Doora-Barefield asking that upcoming weekend fixtures be e-mailed to all club secretaries each Tuesday before 5pm was heavily defeated.Proposing the motion, St Joseph’s secretary Donal O’Connor said his club has a number of players who are currently working in England and others living in Dublin. “We have 14 players who are on shift work. At this point in time, these players can no longer wait until the Thursday ’til The ’Champion is published or until the fixtures are emailed on the Thursday afternoon before they can request time off work. They need to give at least three to four days’ notice. We want fixtures emailed to club secretary on a Tuesday afternoon. We are not looking for venues or referees. All we want is details of the day and the time,” he said.Pat Fitzgerald replied that the league fixtures are provided early in the year. “Championship fixtures are sent out in writing to every club …

GOOD Slick scored his sixth career win for Cooraclare owner, Tommy Gallagher last week. His latest win was at Galway Greyhound Racing Stadium last Thursday night in the last race of the night, the A2 graded 550-yard race. On a very cold night with the track rated 30 seconds  for the final three races, Good Slick (Ballymac Maeve- Bling Bling Flo) showed good early pace to lead Knoppogue Mate and Master Rooster to the opening bend. From this stage, he opened up a sizeable gap and although the locally owned Comeonthebanner came nearer in the final stages, Good Slick had enough in reserve to win by a length and a quarter in a time of 31.07.Eoin O’Brien’s Knockdine Dream was runner-up in the first race of the night won byMartin McDonagh’s Hanover Maeve in 29.86. The winning distance was two lengths.The second race on the card was won by Joinedupthinking owned by Kilmihil’s Martin Keane. This was the second win …

WITH Ocean Tolula, Omera and Job Done in the line-up, the South Clare All-Age Bitch stake promises to be a fairly lively affair at the South Clare coursing meeting at Cooraclare over the Christmas holiday period. Reaching  the last four in the Oaks in Clonmel last season, Ocean Tolula has been in good form this season, winning the cup at the Killimer-Kilrush meeting for Tom Fitzgerald, the Parteen-based owner and trainer.Owned in Newcastle West by members of the Dream On Syndicate, Omera was withdrawn from the semi-finals in Miltown Malbay, was beaten in the Ballyduff final and her most recent outing  was at Ennis-Clarecastle fixture where she was the money-on favourite at the semi-finals. However, she went out at this stage to the eventual winner, the Sixmilebridge-owned Oileán Mystic.After succeeding at Tradaree, young Cathal Meaney from Cooraclare will be hoping to succeed on home ground to add another cup to his collection with the Pat Curtin-trained Job Done.Bookmaker Dinnt Gould …