Bid to change controversial Offaly football championship format fails

AN attempt to change the controversial format for this year's football championships in Offaly has failed.

Two clubs, Ferbane and Durrow, tabled motions at tonight's meeting of the County GAA Board calling for the championships to revert to the system used in 2023.

The move followed a decision taken late last year to adopt a format for 2024 whereby every team in the Senior, Senior 'B', Intermediate and Junior Football Championships will qualify for the quarter-finals regardless of how they fare in the initial group league stage.

It was believed the Ferbane and Durrow motions would receive considerable support but their fate was sealed when Offaly GAA secretary Colm Cummins told the meeting they were out of order and could not be put to the club delegates.

Mr Cummins said the motions were submitted last week and reviewed at a management committee meeting and sent back to the clubs because they were not in order.

The clubs took the opportunity to resubmit them and at another management meeting on Monday night it was decided that they were still not in order.

Giving a justification for the decision, Mr Cummins said the ambition of the motion was to “undo” a decision taken on championship structures for 2024.

“We have to ensure that all our championship structures are approved in accordance with rule because failure to do so can result in the validity of the championships being challenged at any point,” he said.

He said that last year there was a valid challenge and it led to delays.

The county secretary explained that “at a minimum” a valid motion to overturn the previous decision would require detailed reference to rules and a methodology on how the new structures for 2024 could be approved.

They would also have to be “robust enough” to stand up to any challenge during the championship.

He said work on developing the structures now being challenged started in February 2023 when the 2023 championship regulations were approved.

It was decided then that changes in the 2024 championship should be presented at the October meeting of the County Board and then agreed at the November meeting.

Mr Cummins outlined in detail how clubs were consulted on the new structures according to the rules and an amendment from Clara asking for a change to a 10-team championship did not receive a seconder.

An amendment from Clonbullogue to retain the 2023 structure was seconded by St Brigid's but it was defeated by 80 votes to 36.

“All of that was in line with rule and in line with our own regulations,” said Mr Cummins.

He said the Ferbane and Durrow motions had to be considered very carefully to ascertain if they were in order.

If the adopted structures are to be overturned it would have to be done correctly “so that we're not exposed”.

The Durrow motion was as follows: “That in accordance with rule 4.3 official guide, Offaly County Committee rescind the decisions taken at the November (14/11/2023) meeting in relation to the football championship structures. That the 2024 football championships structures be based on 2023 football championship structures.”

The Ferbane motion was more lengthy: “that the Offaly GAA County Committee rescind the decisions taken in the November meeting (14/11/23) in relation to the Football Championship structures; that the CLG Coiste Chontae Uíbh Fhailí Regulations 2024 be amended (if required) to facilitate a review of Football Championship structures; that 2024 Championship Regulations (to be drafted after 2024 Congress) reflect any amendments to 2024 Championship structures; that 2024 football championship be based on the 2023 structures; that the County Management Committee continue their engagement with Leinster Council and Central Council to increase the playing season for club championships in Offaly.”

Mr Cummins said the rules impacted by the motions “would have to be quoted” and adequate notice would have to be given to every delegate.

He said the Ferbane motion did not reference a rule and he outlined which rules the clubs would be required to reference.

Essentially, the clubs would have to outline on what basis they were proposing a deviation from rules already decided by the county.

He said the management committee took the view that the motions were not complete enough and didn't cover the important areas to be deemed valid.

Board chair Michael Duignan said the appetite for a 10-team championship had been very clear last year but clubs were told that there would not be enough time because of the Leinster club timetable.

However, the Leinster club championships will not start until much later next year so there will be time for a 10-team championship in 2025 “if that is the wishes of our clubs”.

Mr Duignan said the management committee are proposing to set up a football review group to look at the structures of the Offaly senior football championship with a view to possibly running a 10-team championship next year. Restructuring could be done by gradings.

“The opportunity to have a 10-team championship will be there for next year,” said Mr Duignan.

He said he understood the spirit of the motions and the “valid concerns” about the 2024 structure but the motions were out of order and there was no other option but to proceed with the existing arrangements.

“We cannot risk somebody later in the championship appealing a fixture or a result based on passing something that doesn't apply to rule or regulation.”

Brian Flynn, Ferbane thanked Mr Cummins for explaining the steps which would be required and stressed his club never considered “anything was done out of sequence last year”.

“But from the point of view of rescinding it we weren't fully aware of the steps that would need to be taken and in fairness you've mapped that out very clearly,” said Mr Flynn.

He said he would return to talk to his club about the “road map” which had been spelled out and added that it remains the intention of the club to “go down that road”.

He also said discussions would also take place with other clubs.

Mr Cummins cautioned that for Offaly to deviate from its decision, there would not be an Ard Comhairle meeting until “well into April” so a deviation passed this March would leave Offaly's competitions control committee “in limbo” in relation to fixtures.

He also said the championship regulations for 2024 will be prepared shortly and he took on board a point from Mr Flynn about clubs being informed at least 10 days in advance.

Durrow delegate Tony Hensey said he fully supported what Mr Flynn had said.

The only other comment from the floor was from Micheal Casey, St Brigid's, who asked that all adult clubs, Senior 'B', Intermediate and Junior be included in any proposed change.

Mr Duignan told Mr Casey he would either have to table a motion himself or speak to Ferbane.

The new championship format was drawn up after a request from clubs for more games but its effect will render the group phase almost meaningless because a team could win the championship even if they lose all their matches before the knock-out stage.

Under the 2023 system, the top team in each group qualified for the semi-finals with the second and third team playing in two quarter-finals and the bottom two meeting in a relegation play-off.

This year's format will see quarter-finals where the top team in each group will play the fourth team from the other group and the second and third teams will play each other on a criss-cross basis.