Senior hurling title race finally resumes after Turloughmore appeal thrown out

EIGHT weeks after they drew their SHC quarter-final tie against Turloughmore, Ardrahan face the bizarre situation of ‘a replay’ against different opposition when they take on Beagh in the same stage of the competition at Kenny Park, Athenry on Sunday (2pm).
The protracted impasse that forced the suspension of the senior hurling championship finally came to an end on Monday night when the Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA) dismissed Turloughmore’s second appeal in relation to their expulsion from the championship over the fielding of an ineligible player.
While it is understood Turloughmore will not be pursuing the matter any further through these channels, the club is considering tabling a motion before Galway GAA’s annual convention seeking a system to be put in place ensuring there is greater scrutiny into overseas clubs signing up players.
Indeed, in this respect, Club Chairman Adrian Mooney believed the other club involved in this controversy – New York Gaels – had a case to answer in relation to this matter.
“It’s a warning to players going abroad,” he stated. “We said it again on Monday night [at the DRA hearing], that rule 7.4 will have to be looked at properly. As it is now, it’s absurd. It (the lack of control) is going on for too long, going back years, and it will go on for years again if it is not looked at. Maybe that has to be done at Congress.”
It had been rumoured Turloughmore may look to query the legality of Galway club players who had played overseas in recent years in a bid to highlight the injustice of their case – that they are the only one being singled out and punished – but Mooney said they would not be going down this road.
Instead, he reiterated they would endeavour to raise awareness on this issue, possibly through tabling a motion at convention in order to initiate a meaningful discussion on the topic. At any rate, Turloughmore have been replaced in the championship by Beagh – the team which instigated the inquiry and which Turloughmore defeated by six points to initially qualify for the knockout stages.
The winner of this will face Gort in the semi-final the following week with, barring a replay, the 2014 decider to be fixed for Sunday, December 14. Reigning county and All-Ireland club champions Portumna, who accounted for Craughwell 1-15 to 0-15 in their semi-final, lie in wait.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.