GAELIC GAMES:WESTMEATH, the county whose motion to last April's congress triggered the need for tomorrow's GAA special congress in Dublin, are ready to mobilise opinion in the weaker hurling counties and come back with another proposal if some form of recognition for tier two teams is not agreed.
County chair Tom Farrell accepts, however, that Croke Park plans extensive consultation before bringing forward permanent proposals for next year’s annual congress in Downpatrick.
“In fairness to Croke Park they have promised consultation,” he says. “But I’ve also spoken to a few counties and we’re discussing where things are going and how we can reach a satisfactory conclusion and keep hurling in a stronger position in these counties.”
The final motion on the clár tomorrow commits the GAA to bringing forward long-term proposals to cater for the championship from 2011 on. These will have to address the debate between those who believe hurling is better served by an open-door policy in the MacCarthy Cup and those who believe it should represent an elite championship.
Westmeath’s motion to allow the winners of the Christy Ring Cup automatic promotion to the MacCarthy Cup was accepted last April, but struck down by the Disputes Resolution Authority.
Despite this, last season’s Ring winners Carlow will almost certainly be allowed compete in next year’s MacCarthy Cup when delegates vote tomorrow on a temporary solution that sees an additional, 13th county admitted to the tier one championship.
“I think there should be some sort of system there in place whereby these so-called “weaker” counties might be able to qualify at some stage,” according to Farrell.
“We are based in Leinster – we’re a Leinster county – and we play in Division Two of the league and the senior club championship in hurling. We play against teams competing in the Liam MacCarthy, but we’re not allowed compete in Leinster. That’s our main bone of contention.
“We’ve also won Christy Ring twice and reached another final, so there’s no great incentive for hurling to improve unless they let us compete in Leinster proper. We did a couple of years ago and actually beat Dublin.”
The irritation at not being allowed contest the Leinster championship was exacerbated by last year’s decision to admit Galway and Antrim – with whom Westmeath drew in last season’s league – to the province. The county applied again this week for permission to enter the provincial championship, but Farrell accepts the council’s hands were tied by rule on the matter.
He does believe, however, the winners of the Ring Cup should be allowed promotion as of right.
“We’ve been putting an immense amount of work into the under-age and it’s beginning to bear fruit. I think the winners of the Christy Ring should have a right to compete in the MacCarthy Cup. I think it belittles any competition that you have to play-off against someone having won it.
“It used to be that a week after winning it you’d have to play another team for a place in the next year’s championship. That shouldn’t happen. The status of winning it should enough for promotion. When you win junior and intermediate titles, you get promoted to a higher level, which improves your game.”
He also says the structures should reflect those in football, where there is universal entry to the senior championship and attempts to introduce tier two competitions have failed.
“Everyone’s allowed enter the Sam Maguire,” says Farrell, “even though 80 per cent of the teams aren’t going to win it. Yet we all participate. Our hurling people feel very strongly about this and we’ll be putting the case forward.”
