No change in NEFL playing season
The North East Football League (formerly Meath & District League) hosted its 37th annual general meeting tonight at the Ardboyne Hotel, Navan with 47 clubs represented.
The main item of interest on the agenda was a proposal from Duleek FC for a change in the playing season from the current August – April to a format that would see the competitions played in a calendar year from 2017, but the motion was rejected.
Duleek FC official Pat O'Brien put forward the proposal and outlined reasons which included better playing conditions and less disruptions to the fixture schedule.The proposal was seconded by Carrick Rovers
Rock Celtic official Martin McDonnell stated that his club would be opposed to the proposal to change after the matter was discussed among the club's members.
He told the delegates that the Dundalk Schoolboys' League had decided not to change their season at a meeting on Monday night that was attended by SFAI official Martin O'Hanlon.
There was a lengthy discussion and while the proposal received a majority vote in favour (31), some 22 club officials voted against the proposal and as it required a two-thirds majority, the proposal failed.
There were a number of other proposals put forward including one from Navan Town's that a team should be graded in a lower division the following season if they withdraw and fail to complete their fixtures in the current season.
Navan Town official Damien Clarke explaned the motivation for the proposal and suggested that it was an effort to imrpove the standards. The Navan Town proposal was successful.
However, a motion proposed by the NEFL committee to regionalise all divisions outside the top two (Premier and First) was defeated by one vote.
A number of amendments to rules were also sanctioned including a change in the suspension for four yellow cards from a one-week ban to a one-match ban.
The annual presentation night will take place on Friday 17th June.