Counties to unite for change

Rule 42 controversyThe seven counties that successfully drafted motions related to opening Croke Park to other sports are set to combine their efforts to get Rule 42 amended at the GAA Congress on April 15-16th. As expected, the motion that calls for the temporary amendment to Rule 42 has become the focus of attention, even if the chances of that being passed by the necessary two-thirds majority still appear slim.

Of the seven counties bringing the motions to Congress, only Roscommon, Sligo and Wicklow call for the temporary amendment to Rule 42. Cavan, Longford, Kerry and Clare are calling for Croke Park to be used for other sports on a more permanent basis.

For Tommy Kenoy, one of the main protagonists behind the Roscommon motion, the campaign requires a joint effort. "I think the temporary amendment has caught people's attention, so we will get together before Congress and decide which is the best motion to quote, or maybe the best two. But it wouldn't make sense to quote them all. So we've been talking on the phone, and we will be getting together, probably in the week before Congress."

The Roscommon motion calls for Croke Park to be opened for a three-year period from this April, with the situation to be reviewed again in 2008. The Sligo and Wicklow motions refer only to the period when Lansdowne Road is being redevelopment.

"I would think the other counties will row in behind us on this one," added Kenoy, "because right now the temporary change does make the most sense. It's pointless putting forward seven motions, because if the first one fails then the same thing will probably happen to the rest of them.

"But even the temporary motions have a slightly different wording, so we'll have to decide which of the three is the most favourable. Roscommon are saying let it be opened for three years, and then bring it back to Congress in 2008. If we like what has been happening in the meantime then we can decide to extend it or make it permanent, and if we don't then we can ditch it. That more or less keeps the option open."

Wicklow secretary Michael Murphy agreed with the joint approach. "We're only looking at the period of redevelopment of Lansdowne Road, and that Rule 42 would revert after that. Nothing definite has been decided yet, but (as) all three (motions) have same general wording I assume they'll be taken together. We'll finalise that closer to Congress. But I feel most of the secretaries would know the situation, and have been discussing it at the annual convention. So most counties have their minds made up one way or another, but there are a few counties that seem to be revisiting their viewpoints, so it will be interesting to see if anyone will make a change, and at least accept the short-term change."

Waterford, Tipperary and Meath are among the counties who will be considering the temporary motion in the coming days and Limerick, who came out last month against change to Rule 42, have already announced a reconsideration.

"We certainly haven't gone back on our decision to vote against any amendment to Rule 42 per se," explained country secretary Denis Holmes, "but what we are willing to do is discuss in detail the other motions that relate to opening Croke Park on a temporary basis.

"We'll look at those motions in detail, and if they cut across what we've decided already then there will be time to get another view on it at our April meeting."

One definite blow to any motion related to Rule 42 was the comments of presidential candidate Christy Cooney, who this week warned that opening up Croke Park would make it impossible for the GAA to uphold a different policy for county and club grounds throughout the country.