Minor fixture causing a major headache

ACCORDING to rule, GAA players at minor level are entitled to seven days free of club championship action, ahead of inter-county championship games in the same code.

The Clare minor hurling management team, headed by Eamonn Fennessy, is considering invoking this rule ahead of the Munster semi-final, in which Clare play Limerick on Friday, June 29.
At this week’s meeting of Clare GAA, a request was presented to the clubs to leave the Sunday prior to the provincial minor semi-final free of senior championship games.
“There is a request for games to be played on the Friday and Saturday, some might even play on the Wednesday and Thursday,” said Michael O’Neill.
Sixmilebridge, ironically Fennessy’s own club, said they could not accede to this request. “Because of work commitments, Sixmilebridge can only play on the Sunday that weekend,” their delegate Pat Keane told the meeting. “One player has a 12-hour shift on the Saturday and it’s not possible to change as his employers have no interest in hurling. I highlighted these problems on the night that the masters fixtures plan was agreed but the document was pushed through on the night,” added Keane, who suggested their game go back a week.
However, board chairman Michael O’Neill pointed out “this is not possible as fixtures cannot be postponed further than three days”.
“We will have no choice but to invoke the seven day rule,” said Eamonn Fennessy. “We hope that we don’t have to. Our last major get-together ahead of the Munster semi-final will take place on that Sunday (June 24). The Munster minor semi-final is a major fixture for all involved,” he added.
Sixmilebridge are due to play Cratloe in the first round of the championship and, between them, they have six members on the county minor team. Not all are part of their club senior sides but Jamie Shanahan and Brian Carey for the Bridge and Shane Gleeson for Cratloe are expected to feature on their club teams. There is also speculation that Alex Morey will be in the Sixmilebridge senior panel.
“We are very grateful to the clubs who have agreed to this request and hopefully we won’t have to invoke the rule,” concluded Fennessy.