Chairman unhappy with Allen

Cortown chairman Pat Lynch welcomed delegates to his club's well appointed facilities for tonight’s Co Board meeting and jokingly requested that there would be no black cards issued, but it didn’t take long before chairman Peter O’Halloran issued a ‘yellow card’ to former chairman and current Rathkenny delegate Barney Allen.

Speaking on behalf of his club Allen raised the issue of supporters of Rathkenny and of Meath wishing to attend Saturday's All-Ireland MFC semi-final having to leave Croke Park before the end of the senior game between Dublin and Galway to make it back for Rathkenny's SFC clash with Moynalvey in Pairc Tailteann, 7.30pm.

Allen went on to criticise the decision not to play rounds of championship football in the seven weeks after Meath exited the All-Ireland SFC race to Tyrone, it was then that O'Halloran took exception to the criticism of the decision of the Competitions Control Committee (CCC) to stick to the planner.

“I don’t think the fixture schedule is that tight. There could have been a round or two of championships played  in the time after Meath were knocked out,” said Allen.

“On the weekend of 28th and 29th July we were in a difficult period as a lot of players went off on their holidays. We were missing five lads for game against Ratoath and had to take three lads off the Junior C team and we weren’t able to field for that.”

O'Halloran was clearly annoyed with Allen's suggestion that the fixture planner should have been changed after Meath were beaten by Tyrone.

“I will ask the CCC to look at the fixture situation for clubs who have players involved in Saturday's game. There was uproar when there was a change to the planner last year and I bore the brunt of it, so we couldn’t change the planner again,” said the current chairman.

“There were no objections from anyone when the planner was first released so it is not right to be objecting to it now. We have issued six month planners and that is the way it has to be.

“I’m a bit annoyed when people suggest things like that, that we should have played games in that spell even though there was no games fixed on the planner. The  clubs wanted a fixture planner so we couldn’t change it again.

“I’m disappointed with the things you have suggested tonight Barney, I’ve admired you for a long time, but I'm not happy with those suggestions. I’m glad the CCC didn’t do what you have suggested,” said the chairman.

Allen argued that he didn’t believe that the CCC had exhausted every available avenue to facilitate games being changed to allow players and supporters attend Saturday's minor semi-final.

“Clubs have players playing in Croke Park on Saturday and they want to go and support the Meath minors,  but trying to get back to watch their club in the senior football is asking a bit much,” said Allen.

“It’s €45 into the game and supporters will have to leave before the end of the second game to get back for their club game, so it is not a great arrangement within the county. 

“People will complain about paying €45 and having to leave before half-time of the senior match and then €10 into a club match later that evening.

“Maybe if supporters who are in Croke Park for the minor game could produce their ticket they might be allowed into their club game for free later that evening?,” suggested Allen.

Allen's belief that the CCC hadn’t explored all possibilities was supported by Leinster Council delegate Brendan Cummins and Dunderry delegate Tommy Nally.

“The point raised by Barney Allen is very valid. This decision won’t go down well with supporters. I’m not so sure the CCC have examined all the options. What is the problem with Sunday morning or even Monday night?,” suggested Cummins.

While Nally suggested “the club players who are playing in the championship on Saturday want to go to Croke Park, but they cant. We have a player from Dunderry playing on Saturday in Croke Park. I’m sure those games can be moved and I appeal to CCC to move them.”

John Gilmartin of the CCC insisted that his committee looked at every possibility, but it wasn’t possible to move all the games on Saturday evening.

“It is a concern. The ideal thing would have been to shove those games to Sunday, but that wouldn’t have been possible with venues and referees, I agree it is not ideal, but we didn’t have any over option,” said Gilmartin. 

“We didn’t find out until last weekend when our minors would be playing. We did look at the possibility of moving to Sunday, but this not possible.

“Our overall schedule is so tight as everyone knows, so there isn’t a window to push these game out to. I’m not underplaying the concerns you are raising  but as a CCC we can’t fix that problem,” concluded Gilmartin. 

Dunshaughlin's Paddy Ward pointed out that the problem is a bigger one and lies with our championship structures and the fixture congestion they cause.

“For the last two years we have been pointing out problems with our championships. If Meath had reached the Super 8s we would be here now looking for games to be changed,” said Ward.

“It is unfortunate that the games are coinciding on the same day. We have to do something about our championships structures this year, we have to be able to complete our championships and deal with requests from clubs,” finished Ward.