Wicklow convention: There was a mixed reaction at the Wicklow convention in Aughrim on Saturday as a well-crafted Arklow Geraldines/Ballymoney motion that may allow both soccer and rugby to be played at Croke Park was passed by the county's GAA chiefs.

In imploring delegates to vote against the motion, which proposes that the GAA lease the stadium to the Government, Paddy Byrne of Kilbride said: "We are being asked to wake up some morning and see the England national soccer team playing in Croke Park.

"Just 80 years ago the English came to Croke Park and shot Gaelic players while playing our games," he added of the motion, which he believed was brought before the convention in a sleight-of-hand way.

Also against the proposition was Gerry O'Neill, from the Lacken Club; he described it as nothing more that a back-door way to get soccer into Croke Park. The motion was "totally alien" and he could not stomach that.

Before the delegates approved the motion by a large majority on a show of hands, Oliver O'Brien from Fergal Óg Club, Bray, said Croke Park was the flagship of the association and they were sailing into disastrous waters in what they were now doing.

"We now have a massive asset in Croke Park and what we are effectively saying we are not able to manage it," he said.

"We should be developing it and getting things into it ourselves. We are not promoting our games.

"What is proposed would be a disaster for the association and insulting to our dead generations."

In defending his own club's motion, Donal Duffy said that passing Arklow's proposal would mean that the GAA would only be involved in negotiations with the Government.

He added that their motion would resolve a long-running debate in a manner that was supportive of the association and protected club property.

John Glynn from Éire Óg, Greystones, agreed and commented that the co-operation between the GAA and rugby in his own town was "second to none" and he would be supporting the motion.

The motion itself - which will now go forward for approval to GAA Congress next April - proposes that Central Council be allowed negotiate with the Government with regard to leasing Croke Park to them for five events per year with appropriate funding being made available in return for the development of Croke Park.

If those negotiations were successful the lease would would be reviewed after five years, at which time it could be renewed, extended or scrapped.

Meanwhile, at the same convention Donal McGillycuddy from An Tochar suffered defeat in his bid to hold on to the position of county chairman. He had been chairman for the past three years.

In a vote of the 150 delegates, Mr McGillycuddy lost by 96 votes to 53 to Mick O'Hagan, the outgoing vice-chairman.

O'Hagan, a member of St Patrick's, Wicklow, had served as chairman from 1998 to 2000.

Another member of the St Patrick's club, Michael Murphy, was unveiled as the first full-time, paid administrator for the county.

In an election for the position of youth officer, Martin Coleman (Baltinglass) defeated Pat Mitchell (Rathnew).

Jimmy Dunne (Arklow) and Des Burton (Aughrim) were elected as the two Leinster Council representatives.