Goode’s request deferred

AT this week’s meeting, a request from Newmarket hurler Ronan Goode to be allowed to play football with Doonbeg was referred to the Competitions Control Committee (CCC).

Doonbeg delegate Pádraig Conway explained Goode “hasn’t played football in three years. He came to Newmarket from Doneraile in Cork and he is socially friendly with members of our club. We are tight in numbers.”

Asked what grade Goode was likely to play at, Conway said he had never seen him play. “There is a precedent with Shane O’Brien and the two players are from the same club.”

“He [O’Brien] was there before the bylaw that is in operation was put in place,” according to secretary Pat Fitzgerald.

“What role has the club in this,” asked Newmarket delegate Mike Clancy noting “this is a personal request”.

“Two slipped through the last night when there was a big list of requests,” Fitzgerald said.

“I asked the question the last night,” St Joseph’s delegate Pat Frawley said.

Requests from Fergal Lynch and Cillian Duggan from Clooney-Quin to play football with Cratloe resulted in Frawley asking at the previous meeting if this was in order with the bylaw.

This week he said, “if we have bylaws, we have byelaws and they must be stuck with”.

Cratloe’s Jack Chaplin wondered why “questions are being asked about these two now. Why aren’t all other requests being examined?”

Clooney-Quin’s John Condon said, “One of the players has a connection with Cratloe and this is why they applied to play with Cratloe”.

Chairman Michael McDonagh told the meeting that he believes “if somebody wants to play, they are entitled to”, before referring the request to the CCC.

Policy needed to make all players available
A POLICY is needed so that all players will be available to play with the county football teams, this week’s meeting of Clare GAA was told.

Long-serving senior football liaison officer Tom Downes made the comment during a discussion on Clare’s failure to win promotion from Division 4.

Chairman Michael McDonagh told the meeting he will be putting a proposal before next year, which will ask that preparations for the Munster U-21 Hurling Championship, which begins in June or July, not commence before the end of February, thus allowing the dual players to concentrate on their football preparations.

This was an obvious reference to the fact that a number of dual players didn’t commit to the football this year, due to their involvement with the hurling panel.

The issue of the availability of the dual players was raised by Clondegad delegate Seamus O’Reilly, who asked if there is “any way allowances can be made for the dual stars. It’s a pity to see so many of the dual players not available.”

The football discussion opened when Gabriel Keating asked the chairman if “the management has been met since Sunday’s disappointing result”. He reminded those present that he was part of a committee which selected the manager.

McDonagh replied that he had met with the management, who were disappointed with the outcome but who are now pressing ahead with plans to prepare for the championship. “I don’t think we should be discussing the management at the April meeting,” he said.

Downes told the meeting, “Failing to win promotion is a big set-back. Everybody put their shoulder to the wheel this year and we could not have got more co-operation from anybody. We failed on the field where we didn’t take our opportunities. We met on Sunday evening for an hour and a half and we did so again on Monday and today drawing up a programme in preparation for the championship. We are working from a very small base,” he said.

A detailed review
THE county coaching and games committee is busy reviewing all aspects concerning underage GAA in the county, chairman Michael McDonagh said. “The urban and rural committees are in place and they are under the wing of the coaching and games committee. They have carte blanche to examine all aspects relevant to underage GAA in Clare and to report back here,” McDonagh told the delegates.

Clubs to be levied
CLUBS that do not sell a minimum of 100 tickets in the annual county board/club draw in 2013 will be levied, board treasurer Bernard Keane told this week’s board meeting.

“The draw benefits both club and county and it’s needed more than ever now because of the ongoing drop in revenue from games,” he said.

Whitegate to host Poc Fada
WHITEGATE GAA Club will host the Clare poc fada finals on May Bank Holiday Monday. The competition will be for senior and U-16 players and all clubs are invited to send a competitor.

Board meeting for Scariff
ONE board meeting per year is to be held at a venue outside Ennis, this week’s gathering agreed.
The meeting heard a request from Scariff GAA to be allowed to host a board meeting in their recently renovated clubhouse.

In response, the chairman said it would be good to travel outside Ennis once a year.