Westmeath opt to open Croke Park

Westmeath last night voted emphatically in favour of the temporary opening of Croke Park, with the voting going 46 to one at Cusack Park, Mullingar. The Castleblaney club was the sole voice of dissent.

The Cork rebels said no, again. That predictable bulletin hardly caused a stir when it laboured into the national newspaper emails at 1.45am yesterday after a marathon meeting in Páirc Uí Caoimh.

The wording from the Cork County Board statement reiterated their staunch resistance to altering Rule 42, with the temporary allowance to soccer and rugby being played at Croke Park not even considered.

Instead, Cork referred to the decision made at their convention in 2003 when a vote of 72 to 17 dismissed any suggestion of changing the current status quo.

While the rest of the country, including the ultra conservative six northern counties, are letting the clubs vote on the motions to Congress that would allow rugby and soccer into Croke Park during the reconstruction of Lansdowne Road, Cork held true to a rigid stance of utter refusal.

"All clubs in this county were invited before the last county convention to submit motions on any proposed changes to rules," read the statement that chairman Jim Forbes elaborated upon at Tuesday's Cork County Board meeting.

"No motion was summated to county convention 2004 in relations to this rule, in fact rule 42 did not even get a mention at the convention. This can only be interpreted that county convention accepted the status quo.

"It is not appropriate for the board to vote on the issue or to seek to mandate the Congress delegates contrary to what was a clear opinion at convention 2003," added the statement.

This theory flounders though. At the Cork convention in 2003 there was no motion regarding rule 42 as the issue was merely raised from the floor before being soundly beaten. Also, at no point then or since has the county considered the temporary motions that are on this year's Congress clár.

"It is wrong as the individual should be represented," said Westmeath County Board chairman Séamus Whelan. "It is an attempt to muddy the waters. We instructed our clubs to vote and that was how we mandate our delegates. The democracy of the clubs should be number one."

However, Cork PRO John Motherway was adamant that the actions of the county board chairman were not an attempt to rule out of order the recent about turns of Tipperary, Meath and Limerick. "We are only speaking for ourselves and it is not a reflection of how other county boards conduct their business," said Motherway.

Still, if the Cork stance was law of the land, any county that has mandated its delegates for change, after its convention had not, they would be judged illegitimate.

With the scrambling of sides expected to continue right up to Saturday afternoon, the method of voting takes on greater relevance. The pro-change camp fear a secret ballot will severely hinder their chances as the transparency of a public vote ensures a potential renegade voter cannot break the county mandate. Central Council recommended a secret ballot to Congress but a final decision is most likely to be made by a vote of delegates on Saturday morning.

The Armagh County Board also voted late last night on the issue.

Meanwhile, a player survey conducted by UCD for the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) has returned a two thirds' majority in favour of opening Croke Park. And yet, the 69 per cent of players opting to open Croke Park to other sports is far from unanimous.

In a questionnaire, senior intercounty players are asked: "Do you feel that Croke Park should be opened to other sports?"

Of the 600 questionnaires returned to date, 69 per cent (413) voted in favour with 23 per cent (137) voting against, while eight per cent (50) ticked the "don't know" box.

The full results of the 106 question survey on player welfare standards are expected to be completed in time for the GPA agm on May 7th in Portlaoise.

Dublin University's Philosophical Society host a debate on the topic tonight with GPA chief executive Dessie Farrell, former Dublin and Offaly manager Tommy Lyons, commentator Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh and Roscommon's rule 42 activist Tommy Kenoy acting as guest speakers.

The motion, "this house would open Croke Park to soccer and rugby," starts debating at 7.30pm in the Graduates Memorial Building, Trinity College. The result is not expected to mirror that of Congress on Saturday but GAA Director General Liam Mulvihill has confirmed that the debating at Congress on the issue is not expected to exceed one hour.