February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Ten of the 17 motions put before the delegates were adopted, four defeated, one withdrawn, and one ruled out of order, while the convention was held open for the Randalls Island motion. It was No. 17 on the agenda, but last was not least, with several delegates speaking passionately to the body about the project.
The motion to the convention called for the repeal of a two-year-old rule limiting NYGAA contributions to the $200,000 already laid out by the Association unless and until that amount was matched by the Randalls Island Gaelic Sports Group and its shareholders. Among the points raised by various delegates was that the clubs and not the Association should step forward and contribute to RIGS.
RIGS member Kieran O’Sullivan said that the group members had reached into their own pockets and kept the project together with “tie wires and pennies.” NYGAA President Seamus Dooley, rechristened chairman of the New York County Board under one of the approved motions, suggested that the subject be addressed after attorney Frank Durkan has had a chance to address the Board of Officers in the near future.
Other than the RIGS question, concern with the number of available players in New York was keen. The weekend player rule inspired considerable passion, virtually all in opposition, before being soundly defeated. Playing with 13 players, as the New York hurlers have done for several years, also generated little support.
Both motions led speakers to speak in support of Irish-American players coming up through the Minor Board. The St. Barnabas club, which fields two junior teams, were successful in getting a motion passed allowing three players to move up and down between the Junior A and Junior B divisions.
Once again delegates spoke out in support of young Irish-American players and the Minor Board. Tommy Traynor, who has been involved with the Minor Board for decades, earned an enthusiastic round of applause from the delegates when he called for current senior footballers to get involved with training the underage players.
The unplayed 2004 Senior Football Final was clearly on the delegates’ minds when Motion 14 was passed, preventing the senior and junior football finals from being played on the same day. After the controversy last October, it was no surprise when the motion passed handily.
Legitimate points were raised in opposition. One example being if two senior semifinals were played on the same day as a junior final, conflicts could arise and the new rule would limit the schedulemakers’ flexibility.
Recently appointed New York football manager Anthony Gaughan led the charge against a new rule that would have limited all matches to 30 minutes a side, including semifinals and finals, which are now 35. Arguments for the new rule included time concerns, and the fitness level of New York players. It was this last subject that got a rise out of Gaughan. The county supremo pointed out that his players are already in training and five extra minutes per half would not negatively affect them.
The Convention won’t be officially closed until the Randalls Island motion is dealt with, after the Board of Officers are briefed by attorney Durkan. That meeting should take place sometime in the next couple of weeks, although nothing has been finalized. The Association’s decision will likely have a major bearing on the Randalls Island project as it comes down to the wire.