GAA Committee resign

The fallout from the decision by the Meath Competitions Controls Committee (CCC) to award Simonstown the points from their SFC game against St Patrick"s, which the Stamullen men failed to fulfil, continued last week when the entire committee resigned. The eight members of the CCC, Eugene Comaskey, Cathal Seoighe, Martin Curran, Brendan Cummins, Francis Flynn, Paddy O"Dwyer, Celine Nulty and Jimmy Henry, all handed in their resignation to the Co Committee over the decision to allow St Patrick"s a hearing into the matter. When none of the CCC appeared before the Hearings Committee on Thursday evening to put forward their case for awarding the SFC points to Simonstown, a decision was made that the CCC"s original ruling had to be overturned. The CCC are believed to be aggrieved at the decision by the Co Committee to allow St Patrick"s attend a Hearings Committee. The CCC believed the decision to award the points to Simonstown after St Patrick"s didn"t turn up for the game was a fixtures issue and therefore they had plenary powers. However, it was ruled that the decision was a disciplinary one and so St Patrick"s had the right to appeal and duly were awarded a re-fixture. They will face Simonstown at the next suitable date that is yet to be determined. The whole sorry incident arose when a request from St Patrick"s to have their SFC opener against Simonstown postponed following of the death of club President and Trustee Jimmy Curran was rejected by the CCC. The committee offered to move the game from 2.0 to 4.30 on the Sunday, but the Stamullen club refused to commit to the game because Mr Curran was being buried on that day and they believed that the decision to go ahead with the game was 'insensitive'. The CCC continued to refuse a postponement and when St Patrick"s failed to fulfil the fixture they had no other course of action but to award the points to Simonstown. According to sources the CCC wanted to play the game as scheduled because it had a further impact on the start of the JFC as Simonstown were due to play St Brigid"s in the junior championship later on the Sunday evening. Also at the Hearings Committee on Thursday evening Seneschalstown"s Damien Sheridan had his four-week ban that was imposed following the Navan O"Mahonys, Seneschalstown brawl after their SFC game in Pairc Tailteann overturned. That decision ensured Sheridan was available for Seneschalstown"s SFC game against St Patrick"s, but he couldn"t prevent his side from slipping to a surprise defeat.