IN his address to delegates at Monday’s annual general meeting of the Clare Schoolboys’ Soccer League, outgoing chairman, Tommy Molloy said, “The last week has been the worst week I have put down in the CSSL. Now is the time for a new beginning, to start from scratch, put new faces on the committee, maybe a new chairman, who will work together for the benefit of the CSSL.”

Molloy went on to express the wish that all executive and committee members would serve no more than three years in all positions said he wishes “new faces coming into our committee will enjoy their term”.
He paid tribute to the managers, coaches, club secretaries, and the clubs for the use of their facilities. In particular, he acknowledged Lees Road, Ennis Town council and Clare County Council for the use of their facilities.

Financial matters
IN a brief financial report to Monday’s annual meeting, outgoing treasurer, Flan Hehir told the delegates the CSSL is “up €8,421 on last year and currently, there is € 86,466 in the bank. “We still have €4,000 to get from the FAI,” he added.

SFAI officials
MARTIN O’Hanlon, secretary of the SFAI, and committee member Jim Hackett attended this week’s schoolboys’ annual meeting. O’Hanlon paid tribute to the Clare committee for its work for the promotion of the game amongst schoolboys and girls.

Motions
A PROPOSAL from Bridge United and Avenue United to reduce the registration fee per player from €20 to €15 failed to win the support of the delegates.
The same clubs were successful with their motion calling for the results of all matches to be posted onto the league website and published in the local papers on a weekly basis.
A proposal from Ennis Town and Lifford asking that committee members on the CSSL need not be affiliated to a schoolboy club was also lost.

Big changes at the top table

IT was all change at the Clare schoolboys’/girls’ Soccer League annual general meeting on Monday night at the Auburn Lodge hotel, Ennis when delegates voted in a new chairman, secretary and treasurer.
Outgoing chairman, Tommy Molloy and outgoing treasurer Flan Hehir were both defeated in contests. Outgoing secretary, Frankie Gormley, the league’s third secretary of the season, announced at the outset he would not be seeking re-election.
Although there were some clubs that did not have a delegate at the meeting, it was clear throughout the past week this would be one of the best-attended annual meetings for some time.
While a couple of delegates questioned the wisdom of holding some of the elections, there was no formal proposal made to have the meeting deferred.
Three candidates were in the race for the post of chairman and they were the outgoing, Tommy Molloy, Michael Guilfoyle and Alfonso D’Auria. Avenue clubman D’Auria was elected after securing 41 votes with Guilfoyle getting 28 and the outgoing Molloy receiving nine. There were five spoilt votes Martin O’Hanlon, secretary of the SFAI told the attendance.
Lifford’s John O’Neill was unopposed for the position of vice-chairman.
With no candidate on the nomination sheet for the post of secretary, newly elected chairman D’Auria asked for nominations. Clive Slater declined before Ennistymon’s Eddie Crowe accepted and was elected.
Corey Phelan from Bridge United challenged the outgoing, Flan Hehir for the post of treasurer and he was elected on a vote of 41 to 31.
There were eight candidates for six committee positions and elected were Ronnie Pyne (outgoing), Thomas Lineen from St Pat’s, Ciarán O’Dea (outgoing), Clive Slater, Robert McSherry and outgoing chairman Tommy Molloy. Avenue’s Lawrence Ryan and outgoing committee member Tom Egan (St Pat’s) were the two candidates who didn’t get elected.
At the outset, much of the discussion centred on the financial affairs of the league. Chairman Tommy Molloy informed the meeting that the league’s books “for the past two to three years are currently being audited  and we hope that by early December, his report will be ready. Then it will be presented here to the delegates,” he said.