Congress 2010

Anyone going from this forum? I'll be there with bells on, flying out this day week, hiring a car (not stealing one this time ) and sorting the digs out all at my own expense again. It'd be nice to get it all paid for like some county officials but we can't all be lucky!!

Any Motions other than the rule changes that you'd like to see go through? Motion 55 is one that's caught my eye and i feel merits some discussion on the night, especially as it splits the 4 Provincial winners and the last 4 qualifiers until the Semi-Finals.

In short, the 4 Provicial Champs play off, the winners go through to the AI Semi-final, the losers of this game then play the winners of the Final 4 Qualifiers for a place in the AI Semi-finals, then it's business as usual.

Can be seen here (addy feel free to shorten the link as i can't) -

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]



What you think of that one, or any of the other motions? Please discuss!!

bald eagle wrote:Anyone going from this forum? I'll be there with bells on, flying out this day week, hiring a car (not stealing one this time ) and sorting the digs out all at my own expense again. It'd be nice to get it all paid for like some county officials but we can't all be lucky!!

Any Motions other than the rule changes that you'd like to see go through? Motion 55 is one that's caught my eye and i feel merits some discussion on the night, especially as it splits the 4 Provincial winners and the last 4 qualifiers until the Semi-Finals.

In short, the 4 Provicial Champs play off, the winners go through to the AI Semi-final, the losers of this game then play the winners of the Final 4 Qualifiers for a place in the AI Semi-finals, then it's business as usual.

Can be seen here (addy feel free to shorten the link as i can't) -

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

What you think of that one, or any of the other motions? Please discuss!!

I think that is a very good idea because in faireness the prov. champs were at a disadvantage as there was no second chance like the others. As for the new rules Yes to the square ball,penalty changes. As for the rule 'that the final whistle goes after added time when the ball goes out of play' may cause problems. Say 3 minutes extra is announced, a player lies down for one of those minutes, player from the leading team kicks the ball over the sideline after 3 minutes but discovers the game continues. How are players to know when the game is due to end? Should there be a signal of some sort from the ref?

Real Kerry Fan wrote:the ball goes out of play' may cause problems. Say 3 minutes extra is announced, a player lies down for one of those minutes, player from the leading team kicks the ball over the sideline after 3 minutes but discovers the game continues. How are players to know when the game is due to end? Should there be a signal of some sort from the ref?

The only thing i found on that was that the Meath Co Board have put forward a motion for the Referee to be linked to a timekeeper (like Rugby) and that they can request when the clock stops/starts for injurys and restarts.

This will mean that there will be less need for injury time to be added to a game as it will already be deducted from the 70 mins and hopefully take out the whole "where did he get X minutes from". The game will end as soon as the ball leaves play after 70mins.

I have spoken to a few people about this and as far as we know this is the deal, it will be explained on the day better i think/hope!!

bald eagle wrote:

Real Kerry Fan wrote:the ball goes out of play' may cause problems. Say 3 minutes extra is announced, a player lies down for one of those minutes, player from the leading team kicks the ball over the sideline after 3 minutes but discovers the game continues. How are players to know when the game is due to end? Should there be a signal of some sort from the ref?

The only thing i found on that was that the Meath Co Board have put forward a motion for the Referee to be linked to a timekeeper (like Rugby) and that they can request when the clock stops/starts for injurys and restarts.

This will mean that there will be less need for injury time to be added to a game as it will already be deducted from the 70 mins and hopefully take out the whole "where did he get X minutes from". The game will end as soon as the ball leaves play after 70mins.

I have spoken to a few people about this and as far as we know this is the deal, it will be explained on the day better i think/hope!!

An excellent idea, and one which I have expressed on here before. Sometimes ya wonder where some Refs get the amount of injury time from. Some even add on an extra 1 or 2 minutes on top of the allocated injury time even though there have been no delays.

Also, I think some parts of the new rules change are terrible. The hand pass change should absolutely be done away with. As well as this, the free if a player catches the kick-out should be abolished too, it detaches the flow of the game. If you ask me, these new rules are making the game more like Aussie Rules.

I wanted to propose a rule change but couldn't get it sponsored.

'In a game where an incident occurs a referee should always give the benefit of the doubt - and the decision - to the team that pumps most money into GAA coffers.' ...........

Jayo Cluxton wrote:I wanted to propose a rule change but couldn't get it sponsored.

'In a game where an incident occurs a referee should always give the benefit of the doubt - and the decision - to the team that pumps most money into GAA coffers.' ...........

They brought that in years ago Jayo. Didn't you watch the 1995 All-Ireland final?

I have no idea what you mean!!!!

ps - Please see post of 11.10 this am at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Not going BE. While that proposal (losing semi-finalists playing 2 qualifiers) has merit, I think it's just avoiding the real problem that needs to be confronted. The provinces are not the right platform to build an AI series on. Until such time as the provincial championships are seperated from the AI series then it's only rearranging the chairs in Croke park (or something like that!)

I agree RMD, but i simply can't think of a way of changing things without adding to the amount of games that counties play already.

The only thing you could do would be to get shot of the pre-season tournaments (McKenna Cup et al), bring the league forward, possibily using it as a barometer for the Championship, seeding Championship fixtures dependant on final placings and getting rid of the League "final" (something i've mentioned numerous times on here). There is a massive need for the Championship to be split (like Hurling), with the top 16 counties (div 1 & 2) playing for the Sam Maguire Cup, with the rest playing for the Tommy Murphy Cup.

Then have the Provincial Championship as a seperate tournament, but this would bring it's importance into question (although as Tyrone have proved in the last 2 years, Ulster is not worth winning!!)

As a short term option though, the motion proposed is not bad as it does give Provincial champions an extra game/chance. One thing for sure, a major overhaul is needed to shake up the All Ireland series!

Will the time come soon to scrap the provincial elements of the GAA altogether? i.e. competitions and councils.

Make sure ye tune into Congress this weekend, i think the motions are tonight. Streaming via RTE online, keep an eye out for me!!

bald eagle wrote:Make sure ye tune into Congress this weekend, i think the motions are tonight. Streaming via RTE online, keep an eye out for me!!

Wear something distinctive so we'll be able to see you. A dress or something.

RMDrive wrote:

bald eagle wrote:Make sure ye tune into Congress this weekend, i think the motions are tonight. Streaming via RTE online, keep an eye out for me!!

Wear something distinctive so we'll be able to see you. A dress or something.

I've got my finest Laura Ashley on already RMD, i look like a bald Dame Edna without the glasses!

On a side note BE i see Pete Mc Grath has refused to attend the function celebrating Downs team of 60 &61 - he still has a bad taste in the mouth from last years managerial vacancy and many of those who he says treated him unfairly are organising the function.

I think its sad that their most successful manager won't be there, if i were him i'd go with bells on knowing what he has achieved for Down over the years - a real pity that these things sometimes turn out the way they do.

I agree the county board showed him little respect and he doesn't come across as the sort of man who is a whinger - but i'd have went if only to make the feckers feel uncomfortable.

bocerty wrote:I agree the county board showed him little respect and he doesn't come across as the sort of man who is a whinger - but i'd have went if only to make the feckers feel uncomfortable.

Absolutely Boc. I'd have gone their with my head held high and let the others sheepishly avoid me. The man deserves that for all he has achieved and he is only really cheating himself by snubbing it.

THE GAA’S experimental football rules were in tatters after the opening session of congress here.

After president Christy Cooney decided to start into the motions on playing rule changes – amendments to which are allowed only every five years –
as proposed by Central Council and trialled during the National Leagues, delegates promptly shot down a number of the key provisions.

The unhappy task of advocating the changes fell to Séamus Woods, who had chaired the rules review group, but there was virtually no enthusiasmfor the main recommendations.

First to go was the motionextending play before the full-time and half-time whistles until the ball goes dead. Cork secretary Frank Murphy opposed, arguing the
proposal was in conflict with existing rules (when a referee tells a
player he has time only to score direct from a free) and that players
were unaware of how much time had elapsed.

Kerry and Galway argued against the mandatory use of the fist in hand-passing, and it too was well defeated.

Also rejected was the proposal to provide for a mark, expressed by a number
of motions. Having attempted to see on a show of hands if there was the
required two-thirds majority for the idea in principle, Cooney
concluded there wasn’t and declared that all of the motions had fallen.

Similarly, the relaxation of the square-ball rule failed to find favour.

It wasn’t entirely one-way traffic however. The proposals to situate
penalty kicks closer to goal and place kick-outs farther out, on the
13-metre line, were both accepted.

Today delegates will consider the proposed changes to the hurling rules, a prospect about which Central Council can hardly be optimistic in the light of what happened
last night.Earlier, congress unanimously endorsed as policy the halting of pitch invasions.

Cooney also revealed there have been contacts between the GAA and the
Government in relation to possible legislation to outlaw pitch
invasions.

“There have been some discussions but not that intensive, as we decided to try and educate rather than enforce,” said the president, who during the video had warned: “If we can’t persuade our members, I believe we will have to work with our Government to ban it. I would much prefer if we worked together as an association to deal with this.

”The vote took place after a stark video presentation, introduced by Con Hogan, the chair of a sub-committee convened to look into the problem.

“I want you to consider a future,” said Hogan, “where the name of Croke Park or Thurles or Clones or some other GAA stadium is linked forever with Ibrox and Heysel and Hillsborough, not as an iconic sports venue but as a place where people died, and died because we did not exercise proper crowd control.“I want you to consider the advice of everybody with expertise in sports event management: governments, international sports bodies, gardaí, health and safety authorities, fire officers, ambulance services, our own event controllers – all of whom tell us, some from bitter and tragic experience, that when we lose control in a crowd management situation we incur the risk, indeed the probability, of serious injury or death to patrons at our games.”


- Taken from the Irish Times.

bocerty wrote:On a side note BE i see Pete Mc Grath has refused to attend the function celebrating Downs team of 60 &61 - he still has a bad taste in the mouth from last years managerial vacancy and many of those who he says treated him unfairly are organising the function.

I think its sad that their most successful manager won't be there, if i were him i'd go with bells on knowing what he has achieved for Down over the years - a real pity that these things sometimes turn out the way they do.

I agree the county board showed him little respect and he doesn't come across as the sort of man who is a whinger - but i'd have went if only to make the feckers feel uncomfortable.

Deserving of it's own thread perhaps Boc?

If i were him i would have went to see them squirm, but Pete seems to be a quiet, unassuming gentleman who really didn't deserve the treatment he got from the Down Co. Board, especially after serving them so well for so long.

I would really love to see him becoming a part of the Derry management backroom team with DC, his experience would be invaluable in player development He still has a massive amount to offer inter-county football and shame on Down for the way they treated their most successful manager.

bald eagle wrote:

bocerty wrote:On a side note BE i see Pete Mc Grath has refused to attend the function celebrating Downs team of 60 &61 - he still has a bad taste in the mouth from last years managerial vacancy and many of those who he says treated him unfairly are organising the function.

I think its sad that their most successful manager won't be there, if i were him i'd go with bells on knowing what he has achieved for Down over the years - a real pity that these things sometimes turn out the way they do.

I agree the county board showed him little respect and he doesn't come across as the sort of man who is a whinger - but i'd have went if only to make the feckers feel uncomfortable.

Deserving of it's own thread perhaps Boc?

Absolutely BE - i've done the man a disservice by adding this to the end of this thread - a man i have great time for, never a whinger just got on with things and wasnt afraid to do things his way and stuck to his guns when things werent going too well. Had the privilege of meeting him a few times at Tyrone Down games and a very unassuming man.

If they guys in Down had their heads screwed on they'd have put Mc Grath in charge and brought in Mc Cartan as his right hand man and in a few years time Mc Cartan would have been ready to take the reigns by himself.

bocerty wrote:

bald eagle wrote:

bocerty wrote:On a side note BE i see Pete Mc Grath has refused to attend the function celebrating Downs team of 60 &61 - he still has a bad taste in the mouth from last years managerial vacancy and many of those who he says treated him unfairly are organising the function.

I think its sad that their most successful manager won't be there, if i were him i'd go with bells on knowing what he has achieved for Down over the years - a real pity that these things sometimes turn out the way they do.

I agree the county board showed him little respect and he doesn't come across as the sort of man who is a whinger - but i'd have went if only to make the feckers feel uncomfortable.

Deserving of it's own thread perhaps Boc?

Absolutely BE - i've done the man a disservice by adding this to the end of this thread - a man i have great time for, never a whinger just got on with things and wasnt afraid to do things his way and stuck to his guns when things werent going too well. Had the privilege of meeting him a few times at Tyrone Down games and a very unassuming man.

If they guys in Down had their heads screwed on they'd have put Mc Grath in charge and brought in Mc Cartan as his right hand man and in a few years time Mc Cartan would have been ready to take the reigns by himself.

The man might be heading to a certain managerless Midlands county soon according to my sources.

Sebastian wrote:

bocerty wrote:

bald eagle wrote:

bocerty wrote:On a side note BE i see Pete Mc Grath has refused to attend the function celebrating Downs team of 60 &61 - he still has a bad taste in the mouth from last years managerial vacancy and many of those who he says treated him unfairly are organising the function.

I think its sad that their most successful manager won't be there, if i were him i'd go with bells on knowing what he has achieved for Down over the years - a real pity that these things sometimes turn out the way they do.

I agree the county board showed him little respect and he doesn't come across as the sort of man who is a whinger - but i'd have went if only to make the feckers feel uncomfortable.

Deserving of it's own thread perhaps Boc?

Absolutely BE - i've done the man a disservice by adding this to the end of this thread - a man i have great time for, never a whinger just got on with things and wasnt afraid to do things his way and stuck to his guns when things werent going too well. Had the privilege of meeting him a few times at Tyrone Down games and a very unassuming man.

If they guys in Down had their heads screwed on they'd have put Mc Grath in charge and brought in Mc Cartan as his right hand man and in a few years time Mc Cartan would have been ready to take the reigns by himself.

The man might be heading to a certain managerless Midlands county soon according to my sources.

well whoever gets him knows exactly what they are in for and he'll definitely have a positive influence - good luck to them and Pete

I heard on the radio today that Congress approved a motion that U12 and lower would be 11 aside. Can anyone confirm this and give more details?
Big change if it's true.

bocerty wrote:On a side note BE i see Pete Mc Grath has refused to attend the function celebrating Downs team of 60 &61 - he still has a bad taste in the mouth from last years managerial vacancy and many of those who he says treated him unfairly are organising the function.

I think its sad that their most successful manager won't be there, if i were him i'd go with bells on knowing what he has achieved for Down over the years - a real pity that these things sometimes turn out the way they do.

I agree the county board showed him little respect and he doesn't come across as the sort of man who is a whinger - but i'd have went if only to make the feckers feel uncomfortable.

I think an argument could be made to say that the wife's Uncle Barney was the most successful Down manager, winning two all Ireland's in a row in 1960/61. He was at the function.

Mind you to talk to Barney you wouldn't know he had ever been involved such is his modesty.

Runs in the family on both sides.

the movement of ther penalty spot and kickouts will leave pitches in some state.

take a look at your local pitch . our goal mouth (6 yard box) is in a mess after one league game and only 7-8 trainings on it ( closed until start of march). now the penalty spot (14 yard line) is in bits too with keepers running out to hit kickouts at this now and the movement of the penalty spot means our pitch will be grass less from the goal line out past the 14 now!

i have no problem with the pnealty spot moving in ( even though i try my hand as a keeper) but concentrating all the kicking in a 2*2 m square will do serious damage to that area of the pitch with holes and ruts.

RMDrive wrote:I heard on the radio today that Congress approved a motion that U12 and lower would be 11 aside. Can anyone confirm this and give more details?
Big change if it's true.

.

This was passed two years ago only Galway, Wexford and Donegal maintained an u12 15 a side competition last year.
This year it is to be reduced to 11 a side and run under go games or an adaption of them rules
From next year on all competition is to be removed from this grade, i.e. no county championships etc.

redhandman wrote:the movement of ther penalty spot and kickouts will leave pitches in some state.

take a look at your local pitch . our goal mouth (6 yard box) is in a mess after one league game and only 7-8 trainings on it ( closed until start of march). now the penalty spot (14 yard line) is in bits too with keepers running out to hit kickouts at this now and the movement of the penalty spot means our pitch will be grass less from the goal line out past the 14 now!

i have no problem with the pnealty spot moving in ( even though i try my hand as a keeper) but concentrating all the kicking in a 2*2 m square will do serious damage to that area of the pitch with holes and ruts.

point 1
No such thing as a 6 yard box(4.5 mtr (5 yards) x 14 mtrs) in GAA another misguided queen game mistake.
The same as bringing the ball forward, it is to go forward 13 metres not 10 yards.
point 2
Again you can kick the ball out anywhere along the 13 metre line in front of the scoring area (which is 6.5 metres wide). bit bigger than 2 x 2
It has gone to the stage where you need to re-sod you goalmouth every year long before this.