Championship crisis looms

Tuesday, 06 January 2009

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Championship crisis looms

Wednesday, 27 August 2008 15:13

Above: Shannon Gaels players at Éire Óg Groundon Sunday evening where they had a walk over from Wolfe Tones. Eamon Ward

THIS weekend should have been about whittling the numbers down to the last eight and the business end of the race for Jack Daly 2009.
As it happens there are still nine in the race, with Lissycasey and Liscannor facing of for the final quarter-final berth next weekend.
However, it’s not this clash of men in maroon looming on the horizon that has football tongues wagging this week, or the championship credentials of teams that went into the quarter-final draw in Clare’s GAA headquarters of Clareabbey on Monday night.
No, it’s the threat of a gathering crisis in Clare GAA over the county board’s refusal to defer Wolfe Tones’ senior championship clash against Shannon Gaels by a week.
The county board fixtures committee dictated that Wolfe Tones had to play senior championship hurling and football on successive days, despite the fact that the Shannon side have up to ten players common to both panels.
“We put it in writing to the county board last week that we weren’t willing to play two senior games on successive days, or over the same weekend,” said Wolfe Tones senior football manager, Brendan Reidy.
“There was a five-day rule passed at the February meeting of the county board - it meant that clubs had to be given five days between senior games. That didn’t happen here and that’s why we weren’t going to play the day after the senior hurlers were out against Tulla. We had to make a stand on it,” added Reidy.
It made for high farce in the Éire Óg Grounds on Sunday evening as Shannon Gaels took the field, knowing full-well that Wolfe Tones weren’t going to show.
The ball was thrown in by referee Michael Rock, with Noel Kennedy having his ‘Barney Rock’ moment (1987 league semi-final against Cork) when he soloed through on goal and rattled the back of the net.
Now, all that remains to be seen is whether the county board will take action against Wolfe Tones, who have already qualified for the quarter-final stages thanks to wins over O’Curry’s and St Joseph’s Miltown.
Elsewhere, the final weekend of round robin series games in the group stages saw four more teams secure their quarter-final berths. They were: Éire Óg and Liscannor in Group 2 and Kilmurry Ibrickane and St Senan’s Kilkee in Group 3.
Kilmurry Ibrickane were involved in the game of the weekend as they withstood a grandstand finish from Kilrush Shamrocks to edge home by 2-11 to 0-15 in Cooraclare.
Afterwards Kilmurry Ibrickane manager Micheál McDermott spoke of his relief at hearing the final whistle. “We were hanging on in there at the end as Kilrush’s tradition, heart and football came out. But, we’re through and that’s the main thing. I always said the round robin stages are all about getting to a quarter-final and a new championship starts from here.
“We’re glad to be where we are and Kilmurry Ibrickane will fear no team from here on. On our day we’re capable of beating anyone, but have to have a serious work ethic if we are to win.”
All the other teams in contention will be honing in on their work ethic as the business end begins in September.

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