Killarney Legion ruling gets green light from Croke Park

Munster Council’s controversial decision to accept Killarney’s Legion’s nomination to play the Munster club semi-final against Nemo Rangers was authorised by Croke Park.

Difficulties arose because the Kerry county championship has not yet concluded and Legion have been nominated by the county despite having a county final replay against South Kerry scheduled for next weekend.

Yet according to the GAA’s Official Guide, Rule 6.24: “If a county championship winning team is ineligible, the county committee concerned shall nominate an eligible club of the appropriate championship status to represent it.

“Nominations in any other circumstances are not allowed.

“In the event of a county or provincial championship not being completed, the respective provincial or All-Ireland Championship shall continue without a representative of the county or province concerned.”

Kerry’s by-laws, however, permit the winner of a separate club championship – this year, Dingle – to enter the Munster championship if the county title is won by a divisional team. In other circumstances, the club that has progressed farthest in the county championship is allowed to proceed.

This appears to establish a fairly clear conflict between the GAA’s rule book and a county by-law but the matter arose previously when Brosna faced Dromid Pearses in the 2014 junior county final. The latter had been suspended from provincial activity as a result of the controversial All-Ireland semi-final against Derrytresk in 2012 and Kerry wanted to nominate Brosna, as Dromid wouldn’t be eligible.

Clarification was sought from Croke Park and the nomination was allowed. Similarly in this case, the GAA at national level was approached and asked could Legion be nominated given that South Kerry would not be eligible as a divisional team.

Consistent

Sources in both Croke Park and Munster confirmed that the decision to admit Legion had been authorised at national level. It was also stated that county by-laws have to be consistent with the Official Guide and that the relevant ones in Kerry are considered to be so.

The action taken by Munster Council in accepting Legion’s nomination was considered to be the more desirable course, as it was felt that the club could challenge at the DRA any attempt to exclude them.

A Munster Council source did accept that should Legion win at the weekend, the decision to admit the Killarney club might well be challenged by either Nemo or whichever of Clonmel or Milltown Malbay wins the other semi-final.