Galway pushing for open draw in U-21 hurling title chase

Date Published: {J}

Noel Carney in in Claregalway

GALWAY is to push for an open draw system in running the All-Ireland Under 21 hurling championship following the passing of a Kilbeacanty motion at the annual County Board Convention in the Claregalway Hotel last Thursday night.

Kilbeacanty’s proposal that the championship be run on a four groups of four teams format, with the top team in each group contesting the semi-finals, was supported by delegates and will be put on the Clár for Congress. This system was also one of the recommendations of the Hurling Review Group.

Folowing another Kilbeacanty motion, delegates also agreed that the period of time be reduced to six days when county players should not be expected to fulfil club fixtures, except in the case of provincial finals and championship games from and including the quarter-final stages.

Corofin proposed that no team be allowed to play a provincial championship match on their home ground regardless of the county status of their home ground. There was a groundswell of support from delegates for that motion – hardly surprising in view of Corofin’s poor treatment in this year’s Connacht club final. Co. Secretary John Hynes will write to the Connacht Council about the matter.

After their bitter experience against Roscommon champions, St. Brigid’s in Kiltoom, Corofin also want to tighten up the procedures regarding the appointment of referees. Club Chairman Bernie Glynn pointed out that “in our game against St. Brigid’s the man refereeing it (Liam Devenney) did not have the necessary experience.”

The club proposed that referees in the provincial club championship should have, as an absolute minimum, refereed a senior club championship final in their own county. Again this motion was popularly received and the Connacht Council will be notified in writing.

Corofin also moved a motion calling for the introduction of a minor A club championship in the province. It could initially start in the A grade and, if successful, could be extended to B and C levels. The Board will take this recommendation to the Connacht Council.

However Corofin were not successful in their motion that county champions at Junior and Intermediate grade should progress to the Provincial and All-Ireland series regardless whether they are the club‘s 1st team, 2nd team or 3rd team.

Pat O’Donnell (Clonbur) spoke against it, citing the example of the super clubs in Dublin with huge numbers of players who would have an unfair advantage. The delegates in the main agreed with him and it was defeated on a show of hands.

Skehana Hurling Club, which is in effect a dual entity combined with Menlough Football Club, put three motions to the floor involving fixtures in both codes clashing on the same weekend; referees and officials involved in the management of a club team officiating at games in that competition; and whether teams who play on week evenings could be restricted to matches where they would only have to travel twenty miles or less.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.