Junior clubs protect their patch with united front

Several clubs united in opposition to offer a strong rebuttal of an attempt by Westport GAA to have ‘B’ teams of senior and intermediate clubs eligible to play in the Mayo Exclusive Junior Football Championship.

The motion, which went before Wednesday’s Mayo GAA County Convention, was soundly defeated, despite Westport receiving support for their proposal from Castlebar Mitchels GAA Club.

Westport’s wish was that the reward for the winner of the Primary Junior ‘A’ Football Championship would be promotion, for one year only, to the next season’s Exclusive Junior Football Championship. Their club delegate Willie McDonagh reasoned that urban clubs were trying just the same as rural clubs to give all their players meaningful games and that even when clubs had been permitted to field a second team in the regular county junior championship, only two – Crossmolina and Castlebar Mitchels – had won it in 30 years.

Bernard Treacy of Castlebar Mitchels added that his club had only won it four times in 150 years [sic] and that in an overall context, the motion did not represent a threat to junior clubs. This, however, was strongly refuted by a number of delegates.

It’s only in very recent years that Mayo GAA moved to separate, at championship level, junior teams from those who are ‘B’ teams of senior or intermediate clubs. They did so with the creation of the Exclusive Junior Football Championship and for ‘B’ teams, the Primary Junior ‘A’ Football Championship. At convention, the mood of junior clubs was that the status quo should be protected at all costs.

“It took years to get the junior championship made exclusive and to get a level playing field for junior clubs in rural areas who are hanging on,” said Ballycroy’s Michael Gallagher, who added: “It’s the most important competition in the world to the smallest clubs in Mayo.” 

Anthony Egan of Bonniconlon, whose club reached the final of this year’s Exclusive Junior Football Championship, was of the opinion that admitting ‘B’ teams would make the competition a “farce” given that if a ‘B’ team was to win it, they would not be able to represent the county in the Connacht club championship.

Michael Murphy of Eastern Gaels supported the views of both previous speakers while Achill delegate Paul McNamara warned that passing the motion would have a “severe impact” on rural clubs, most of whom operate in Divisions 4 and 5 at league level while many ‘B’ teams of senior clubs are ranked higher.

Westport’s motion stated that the ‘B’ team promoted would have to name 15 players, 12 of whom had played the last senior championship match, who would be ineligible to play in the Exclusive Junior Football Championship, but the defence of the junior clubs was bolstered when Paul Hunt, a delegate for senior club Claremorris, pointed out that the Claremorris ‘B’ team had won the Primary Junior ‘A’ Football Championship with four or five regular senior players who became available because they were injured at the time of the previous senior championship.

“It would not be fair to other junior clubs if those players were entitled to play in the Exclusive Junior Football Championship,” said Hunt, his input drawing great applause from junior delegates who appreciated his honest insight.

By way of mediation, Pat Barrett of Ballintubber suggested that if ‘B’ teams of the bigger clubs wished to play at a higher level, then entry to the intermediate championship should be considered instead. But as to the motion on the table, it was rejected unanimously.

Westport GAA Club were also unsuccessful with their motion that Mayo County Board ‘facilitate and accept cash at the gate of all club games’.

“Cash is legal tender and should be accepted,” was the basis of delegate Michael O’Brien’s argument while Frank Lenehan of Kiltane went further, saying it was his opinion that a lot of people had stopped going to matches – himself included – because of the obstacle of having to buy tickets via a device.

“A lot of people don’t have these phones,” said Lenehan. “We want people at matches, not turning them away. It happened to me personally last year. I was embarrassed,” he added.

However, Sinead McLoughlin, gate organiser, and who was elected to the role of assistant treasurer on the evening, said she would be “shocked and horrified” if she thought anyone was turned away for such reason.

“We have a tremendous team of volunteers helping everyone out,” said Sinead, adding that on game day, a representative from each club is usually present at the gate to assist any supporter in purchasing their match ticket.

In the only election of the evening, outgoing assistant treasurer Michael Diskin (Castlebar Mitchels) won a contest with Dermot Butler (Crossmolina) to become vice-chairman of Mayo GAA. The outgoing Con Moynihan (Ballaghaderreen) was unopposed in his appointment as Central Council delegate.

Newcomers to the Mayo GAA executive who were elected unopposed included assistant treasurer Sinead McLoughlin (Knockmore), coaching officer Seamus Smyth (Ballycastle) and cultural officer Daithí Gallagher (Castlebar Mitchels).