County Board Officers 2008

[Treasurer]

Some major changes in the Executive for 2008 and a little bit of history made with the first female members appointed.


Chairman - Pat Teehan (defeated Fergal McKeown in a vote).

Vice Chairman - Padraig Boland

Secretary - Martin Boland (defeated Colette Waters)

Assistant Secretary - Not filled

Treasurer - Andy Gallagher

Assistant Treasurer - Jimmy Hogan

P.R.O. - Brendan Minnock

Central Council Rep. - Christy Todd

Leinster Council Representatives - Eamon Flynn, Andy Gallagher

Development Officer - Maureen Kincaid

Youth Officer - Laz Molloy

Irish Officer - Paddy Scales

Coaching Officer -Mary Dunne (defeated Pat Horan and Noel Kelly)

[Plain of the Herbs]

Any significant motions passed?

Please tell me Kilcormac's proposal to have all hurling finals played in O'Connor Park failed. I couldn't face another autumn driving across that bog road.

[Treasurer]

Ruled out of order as a motion for convention (as many of them usually are) and referred back for discussion at first county board meeting, at which point I think KK said they'd withdraw it, but I think they might have been missing the point that it couldn't be heard anyway.

[Bord na Mona man]

Any significant motions passed?

Please tell me Kilcormac's proposal to have all hurling finals played in O'Connor Park failed. I couldn't face another autumn driving across that bog road.

Hmmm,

the large attendance and increase in gate receipts might make this one a point for consideration for senior finals.
Although much criticised, the redeveloped O'Connor Park does seem to attract bigger crowds.
The combined hurling and football gate receipts were up about 50k (I think) this year.

Maybe the refurbishment of Birr will keep the tide rising. But we do need to get more people outside the hardcore attending matches in Offaly.

[Offalys Future]

The hurling and football finals were a massive success this year and i think that all hurling Senior and Intermediate semi finals and finals should be played in O'Connor Park.

Is Maureen Kincaid and Mary Dunne appointed on a full time basis? What will their roles be?
Also what will the role of Lax Molloy be?

[Plain of the Herbs]

I know what ye're saying but it would make no sense to me to fix a possible Intermediate final between Ballyskenagh and Killavilla for O'Connor Park.

Several rural hurling clubs have successully hosted inter and junior finals over the years and have a good operation in place for stewarding such events.

It's just I don't like these motions which tie the hands of the fixtures people like that one proposed by Kilcormac, that's all.

I am aware the senior hurling final was a huge success this year. We'll have to wait and see what the new surface on St. Brendan's Park but I feel it should be retained as the venue for senior hurling semi finals and final.

The hurling and football finals were a massive success this year and i think that all hurling Senior and Intermediate semi finals and finals should be played in O'Connor Park.

[Offalys Future]

Ya that motion shoudnt be allowed pass.
I think common sense should prevail though.

On thing i would be worried about is the Internediate grade.
If Birr are allowed to do next year what they did this year, it is completely unfair to other intermediate teams in Offaly.
Since the county intermediate final 4 of their players have made appearances for the seniors. So therefore they are senior players and shouldnt be let play intermediate.
One way of solving this is have the Senior and Intermediate finals on the same day.
what ye think?

[Lone Shark]

There were several intermediate and senior matches on the same day all year long. The point is that Birr chose to play the senior championship with a very threadbare panel, and they could very easily have come a cropper for doing so. By focussing on the Intermediates as well it kept a lot of players who are well off senior standard interested for the year, and in one sense it's refreshing to see a club who's just as worried about long-standing intermediates getting a medal as it seeing the Whelahans and Hanniffys add to their collection.

To my mind Rynaghs, Coolderry and K/K can't complain because they got a more vulnerable Birr in the senior championship, even if they weren't able to take advantage, while the Intermediate clubs can't complain because it's hardly sporting to say that "but the big clubs should lose lads to regrading towards the end".

To my mind all it says is that the gulf between senior and intermediate is too big, and we probably have too many senior clubs who really belong down at intermediate level.

[Offalys Future]

The gulf will remain if you have clubs like Birr playing 4 senior players on their intermediate team no?
Why should teams like Ballinamere have to play against Birr with 4 guys playing for Birr that shouldnt be?
What hope to clubs like Ballinamere etc have then?

Does Birr getting to the senior championship final without some of these guys say that they are a really good side or that the standard of many of the teams in Offaly is very poor?

[Lone Shark]

Just because someone has hurled senior before does not mean that they are senior hurlers - the rules are in place, and Birr didn't break any of those rules. Almost every hurling club in Offaly fields at least two teams, and no club would designate 25 players as senior from the start of the year - that would be ridiculously harsh on players 21-25 who would never get a run on any team. Birr chose to sail close to the wind in terms of subs etc., as is their prerogative, and it's my view that the club will be all the better for it. How many clubs down the years have had huge rows becuase the promising junior was played as a sub for the senior team a week before a big junior game?

Perhaps a few of the Birr players could hold their own at senior - but so could Ger Oakley, yet he hurls intermediate. It's up to Birr to decide who they field at every level, and I personally would agree with that rule. It's not for you or I to decide who "should" or "shouldn't" be hurling senior anyway.

Of course if the standard of the senior championship was better Birr might have thought twice about this policy, but it isn't. They gambled, could easily have come unstuck against Clareen/Shinrone/Coolderry and now they are reaping the rewards. Fair play Birr would be my view on it.

[Offalys Future]

I know its not my decision i just think it is very unfair. How can a guy that was Offalys best hurler in the Leinster u-21 final last year is allowed to play intermediate until Birr win that and then he moves on to the senior team that he should be playing with all the time.

If you think thats fair well then thats ur opinion but i disagree.

Ger Oakley hurls intermesiate because his club doesnt have a senior team, i they did he would be hurling senior.

[Lone Shark]

But ultimately what you're doing is you're trying to dictate to Birr club who their 20 nominated senior players should be. Surely that's for Padjoe and his selectors to decide? I'm not disagreeing with you that a few of the intermediates from this year would have made my best Birr XV as well, but ultimately nobody gives a feck who I'd pick, and that's as it should be. If it is that you think players shouldn't be allowed move up grades then that's a different debate, and one I wouldn't agree with you on either as it happens.

My point about Ger Oakley was just to show that there are guys hurling at that level who are much better than that standard.

[Offalys Future]

I didnt say anything about nominating 20 players Lone Shark.
My main point is this
that Brain Watkins was Offalys u/21's best hurler in last years leinster final vs Dublin.
He played intermediate for Birr all year and was one their best hurlers in the final vs Ballinamere.
He then was put on the senior team that he should have been on in the first place.
And now he is called in to the Offaly panel so he is rated by Joe Dooley as been one of the best 41 hurlers in Offaly.
If you think that's fair well then i dont know what to say.

As for your last example but of course their is lads hurling intermediate and even junior that are of a senior and county standard but the only reason is because that is the highest level that their club plays at. Intermediate is not the level that Brian Watkins should have been playing at because his club have a senior team.

[Lone Shark]

He then was put on the senior team that he should have been on in the first place.

This is my point though - you think he should. I agree. Joe Dooley clearly agrees - but the point is that PadJoe didn't. And his is the opinion that matters. Anyway, if Watkins was graded senior but Paul Molloy or someone was made intermediate instead, who's to say he wouldn't have hurled very well against Ballinamere too? It's not like Birr were carrying passengers at senior level all year.

[Offalys Future]

Paul Molloy didnt hurl the year before for the U/21'S and is not on the offaly panel.
So the question is should a club be allowed do this and should there not be something in the rulebook to say that a person that represnts the county u/21 team the previous year not be allowed to play intermediate unless that is the highest grade of a team his club have?