Council asked to okay grants

GAA:Today's meeting of the GAA's Central Council will be asked to ratify last week's agreement between the association, the Government and the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) that delivered Irish Sports Council (ISC) awards for intercounty players.

There have been rumblings of discontent about this scheme both in Ulster where a meeting was organised in protest and on Thursday night in Mayo where the county board voted unanimously against it.

Whereas Croke Park officials are concerned at the dissent it is expected today's meeting, which will feature a presentation by one of the GAA's negotiators at the talks, Con Hogan, will approve the grants in principle but there will be a review of the means of distributing the funds.

This is in the light of criticisms of the proposal that county boards disburse the awards, which will be funded by the ISC. After the meeting of the Ulster Council, also on Thursday night, a statement expressed unease over this method of distribution.

At the same meeting it was pointed out, however, that Central Council had approved last April's agreement between the GAA and GPA on the proposed value of any awards and an acceptable schedule of expenses. That agreement is almost identical to what emerged from the recent talks.

GAA president Nickey Brennan was in Derry the same night and spoke to county chair Séamus McCloy, who clarified remarks he had made about refusing to administer the scheme. These misgivings about the manner of distribution are felt by Croke Park to be resolvable.

Suggestions that the matter be referred to next month's special congress on club fixtures and burnout won't be encouraged. Congresses deal with rule changes and despite assertions that Rule 11, governing amateur status, is affected by the scheme, no changes to the rule are being proposed.

Other business will see the expected ratification of Páraic Duffy as director general. Duffy was one of the negotiators of the awards scheme and will hope the matter is put to bed before he takes office in the new year.

In response to the Mayo County Board decision, the county's senior panels released a statement through the GPA, supporting the scheme and expressing disappointment that the board "would attempt to deny Mayo players parity of esteem with athletes of other codes through a scheme which does not damage the amateur ethos in any way".

The statement also states that GPA "accepts, unreservedly, Rule 11 of the GAA's official guide concerning the amateur status of the association. The GPA is satisfied that this agreement does not infringe upon that status, which is also acknowledged by Croke Park."

Meanwhile, the GAA's Central Appeals Committee will announce today the outcome of last night's challenge by Leinster football champions Moorefield to the suspensions of players James Lonergan and Kevin Murnaghan plus the decision to strip the club of home advantage for the remainder of their title defence.

Should they lose the club is expected to take the matter to the Disputes Resolution Authority, which is on standby for a hearing later today. The provincial semi-final between Moorefield and Tyrrellspass is expected to go ahead tomorrow in Mullingar.

Elsewhere, Tipperary county secretary Tim Floyd in his annual report to be presented to next week's convention has backed the recommendations of the Burnout Task Force, which include the replacement of minor and under-21 grades with a new under-19 level.

The death has been announced of Mick Ryan, centre forward on the Tipperary three-in-a-row All-Ireland winning team of 1949-'51. He was selected in that position on the Tipperary team of the millennium.

He played for Roscrea and also for Dicksboro in Kilkenny and St Finbarr's in Cork where he also won county football medals with Clonakilty. His removal takes place this evening in Douglas with requiem mass on Monday at 11.30.