Relegation play-off quartet consider united protest

GAELIC GAMES HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP:THE GAA'S decision to press ahead with the senior hurling championship relegation play-offs this weekend has been met with considerable resistance. Each of the counties concerned – Clare, Wexford, Antrim and Offaly – have been discussing their options amongst themselves, but haven't ruled out combining their objection in a more organised manner.

Central to the resistance is the fact that one of them won’t be eligible for next year’s MacCarthy Cup, should the relegation measure proceed as scheduled, but in Antrim’s case, there is also the potential elimination from the Leinster championship, should they be relegated, despite the guarantee that it would be three-year arrangement.

Antrim chairman John McSparran yesterday described the situation as it stands as “a total dog’s breakfast” and highlighted several issues which he believes have yet to be clarified, despite the matter being considered by the GAA’s Management Committee last Friday evening.

As was expected, they deemed the relegation play-offs would go ahead on the basis of a Westmeath motion passed at Congress last April, which allows for promotion/relegation in the senior championship whereby the winners of the Christy Ring Cup are promoted, replacing the bottom-placed team in the senior championship (Carlow, as the winners of this year’s Christy Ring Cup, are therefore in line for promotion.)

“First of all we would be disappointed with the decision of management committee,” said McSparran, “even taking into account that they would be the experts on it. The very fact that the CCCC sought clarification the way they did indicates there was some considerable confusion over the issue.

“I understand that the motion passed at Congress has to take precedence, but I think the bottom line here is it wasn’t very well worded. The problem with the Westmeath motion as passed at Congress was that it only considered the matter of relegation and promotion, but not the consequences. What if Down had won the Christy Ring Cup? Does that mean room had to be found for them in Leinster?

“Or what if Clare are relegated this year? Does that mean they are not allowed to play in the Munster championship next year?”

The issue of Antrim’s being guaranteed a three-year spell in Leinster is only part of the problem, says McSparran: “Throughout the negotiations on the issue our understanding was that it would be for three years, and would be reviewed after that.

“Certainly that was clear to us at all stages. But if, say, Antrim are relegated, does that rule them out of Leinster for next year? Or if Antrim are relegated this year, then win back promotion next year, does that mean they automatically come back into Leinster?

“Our argument here is not that we should be immune to relegation. We’re just trying to put forward the positive. The other big problem is getting players available. There is definitely a case where players are not available this weekend, because they are on holiday, but would, say, have been available last weekend.

“The other question that has to be asked here is are the GAA genuinely interested in the club players?”

While Antrim would be exploring their options over the coming days, McSparran didn’t rule out consulting with the other counties concerned: “We haven’t talked of a boycott or anything like that. The reality is we only got wind of this on Friday. We haven’t had the chance to discuss the issue even amongst ourselves. We’ll have to look and see what other options are open to us. But there would certainly be some merit in talking with the other counties.”

Earlier, Wexford manager Colm Bonnar also hinted at a more formal objection, describing the scenario whereby one of the four teams would be relegated as an “absolute joke”: “We’re pleading with the county board to try and do something, to see what options they have.

“I’m sure players in the other counties are doing the same. Diarmuid Lyng was talking to the captains of the other teams and we can’t see why the GAA are trying to put teams out of the MacCarthy Cup.

“I don’t know what kind of a response we’re going to get from the players. Everybody up to now had expected the GAA would see sense and call a halt to it.”