Resignation demands and disciplinary matters take centre stage at AGM

Calls for some members of the executive to stand down, claims that the rules weren’t properly applied in relation to at least one disciplinary matter and complaints over the collection of registration fees were just some of the issues that led to a lively Clare Junior Soccer League annual general meeting on Monday night.
The meeting attracted one of the biggest attendances for some time and, after more than three hours of debate, was adjourned as 11.30pm approached. Delegates are to be notified as to when the meeting will resume to debate the motions, some of which are certain to cause some controversy if the discussion on the opening one is anything to go by.
Delegate Michael Guilfoyle asked two members of the outgoing executive not to seek re-election. Directing his comments at Michael Lydon (fixtures secretary) and Thomas Leahy (Munster delegate), Guilfoyle told the meeting that he had “no faith in the executive if they are going to overlook it when it is their own club”.
In relation to a league game earlier in the season involving Connolly Celtic and Ennis town, Guilfoyle claimed that a player who had played illegaly “with a different name” had “never served his suspension. I don’t know who gave him permission to play because he hadn’t served his one-match suspension”.
Guilfoyle said he wasn’t asking them to step away from the Clare league.
“I am asking them not to seek election to the positions they have held.” He went on to ask the league chairman, “What did you do when you learned of this. Who signed the match card?”
Lydon began his report to the meeting by apologising on behalf of his club and as an officer of the league for an action committed by his club in a cup match this season. “If I could turn back time, I would. It was a bad error of judgement. Ye, as delegates, deserve an apology. It should not have happened and I assure you that anything like that will never happen again.”
He was referring to the playing of a suspended player by Connolly in a cup tie against Kilkishen. They won on the day but were later stripped of the win and removed from the competition.
There were a number of questions raised as to whether the player in question served any suspension, with a number of delegates claiming that he didn’t serve any suspension.
Arising from the same incident, Ennis Town Rock, through delegate Denis Collins, asked why his club hadn’t received a reply to a query they had submitted at the time. “We are still awaiting a response. We ended up in a play-off and survived but we could have been relegated because of this.”
After many questions as to who had ruled that Connolly could play the player in question for the league game against Ennis Town Rock, chairman Donie Garrihy said the secretary had provided all the details to Munster official, Ger Delaney and following his response he (Clare secretary) had told Michael Lydon the player in question was eligible to play.
Hermitage, through delegate Lennie Franks, repeatedly asked, “What action was taken against the player? He didn’t serve any suspension.”
The only response from the executive was a promise from secretary Oliver Fitzpatrick to reply to Ennis Town Rock’s query for clarification.
Thomas Leahy also apologised to the meeting and said, “If the delegates want me to step down, then that’s fine.”
He was the only nominee for the post of Munster delegate and was unanimously re-elected while Lydon had to beat off the challenge of Donal Kirby from Shannon for the fixtures secretary position.
During the discussion on the issue, Bridge United delegate Michael White said to a mixture of laughter and applause, “Every club has played illegal players over the years. We have all done it and not been caught.”
A call from the Inch club to increase the premier and first divisions to include 12 teams was eventually withdrawn by secretary Oliver Fitzpatrick from the Inch club, after which the meeting was adjourned.
The league will have a new vice-chairman and registrar for the new season and has yet to elect a youth liaison/child protection officer. Clubs are to be asked to submit nominations for the position.
Outgoing vice chairman Paul Tuohy (Newmarket Celtic) and registrar Leo Murphy (Bridge United) both stepped down and they were replaced by Frank Healy (Kilmaley Fern Celtic) and Frankie Gormley (Turnpike Rovers).
There were two contests on the night, with the outgoing fixtures secretary Michael Lydon (Connolly Celtic) being challenged by Donal Kirby from Shannon Olympic. The total vote was 48 and Lydon retained the post on a 27 to 21 count.
The other contest was for two committee positions for which there were three candidates. Mark Egan (Bridge United) Barry Murphy (Tulla Utd) and long-serving Pádraig McCullough. Ennis man McCullough wasn’t in attendance as he was out of the country on holidays.
When the vote was counted, Egan and Murphy were declared to be elected by league chairman Donie Garrihy, who refused to give the vote, telling the meeting that because there were three candidates, he didn’t have to give the count.
The chairman, secretary, treasurer, PRO Munster and FAI council delegates were all returned without opposition.
The members of the executive for the coming season are: presidents, Michael Leahy, Brendan Daly and Robert Clancy; chairman, Donie Garrihy (Burren Utd); vice-chairman, Frank Healy (Kilmaley-Fern Celtic); secretary, Oliver Fitzpatrick (Inch Crusaders); treasurer, Mike McInerney (Kilkishen Celtic); fixtures secretary, Michael Lydon (Connolly Celtic); registrar, Frankie Gormley (Turnpike Rovers); FAI Council delegate, Jim Madden (Shannon); Munster delegate, Thomas Leahy (Connolly Celtic); PRO, Gerry Scanlan; Committee members, Mark Egan (Bridge Utd), Barry Murphy (Tulla United).