GAA starts early spring cleaning

By Harry Keaney

Although the winter snows are still on the ground in New York, the local GAA is already engaged in some spring cleaning of its rules.

Following a recent meeting in Dublin between Croke Park officials and New York GAA president Monty Moloney and vice president Liam Bermingham, a number of regulation changes are in the pipeline that would directly affect players and clubs in the U.S.

The expected changes concern the residency requirement for players in New York, increasing the number of student players eligible to play for clubs in New York, and a clampdown on the use of weekend players as well as on players participating in both the North American board and New York championships in the same year.

Residency requirement

Outlining the basics of the expected changes, Moloney told the Echo that a transfer system had been in place for years for players who wished to play in New York.

"Players had to be nine months residing here from the time of their last game in Ireland," Moloney said. "We got that dropped to four months."

Moloney explained that for clubs in Ireland, the residency requirement was three months. "Next year, we hope they will drop the other month for us in New York," he said.

He emphasized, however, that this change was not yet final, as it had to go before the GAA congress in April for approval. However, Moloney is confident the proposal will be approved.

"This is very important to us because if players come here in February, they can play for New York in the All-Ireland championship," Moloney said.

Students

The New York GAA may also be allowed to use more students from Ireland in its competitions. "We were allowed to use four per team," Moloney said. "We hope we can increase it to six."

Again, however, Moloney pointed out that this change has not been final. "That’s not in any by-laws, it’s just an agreement between me and Croke Park but more than likely it will happen."

Weekenders

Although the number of student players from Ireland may increase, Moloney said the New York GAA has started to phase out the use of so-called weekend players from Ireland.

"It is now three per team; we are dropping it down to two," Moloney said.

He said New York hurlers had not dropped the number of weekend players they use. However, the Junior B footballers had completely dropped the use of weekend players.

Double-jobbers

A clampdown is also coming on players who participate in competitions in both the North American board area and, subsequently, in New York.

"When players played in the North American board, there was a rule that allowed them go back to Ireland and get sanction to come out and play in the same year in New York.

"I have put a stop to that," Moloney said.

"It was a money-making thing with the players," he added. "And often the players weren’t even going home. It was also a money-saving thing for the clubs, it was cheaper to bring a player down from Boston than out from Ireland."

Moloney said that during his recent meeting in Dublin, Croke Park officials seemed pleased with the proposals coming from New York.

"They see us moving in the right direction," Moloney said.