Convention call for tough line on players' charter

Westmeath County Board must ensure that county players who play with their clubs are not penalised, a club delegate warned at the annual convention.Ken Eades, from St Loman's club, proposed a motion that the players charter be strictly adhered to.He said there were occasions in the past when a county team would arrange a challenge on the same day a full round of club league games were fixed.“That's not good enough … we are all Westmeath supporters but I think there are occasions when all players could be made available to the clubs.”Mr Eades added that in the past a player was punished for playing in a final with his club by being landed with a ten day ban from the county team.County Board chairman Tom Farrell said the county board had discussed the issue with football manager Pat Flanagan and had found him to be very proactive with clubs, as was hurling manager Kevin Martin.Mr Farrell added that he understood the plight of clubs.Cullion support playing of underage finals in Cusack ParkWestmeath County Board has been urged to host all underage finals in Cusack Park where possible.Cullion club tabled the motion at the annual convention last weekend and delegate Brendan Earley explained: “It's a shame to see photographs in the paper with young lads being presented with cups in the middle of a field rather than in the stand in Cusack Park.”County board secretary Pat Lynagh said there was no point in the county board making promises that it couldn't keep.However, he said Cusack Park was available as often as was possible and any time the minor board made requests, the board attempted to facilitate them.“We have many fine facilities around the county and I don't think it's any harm that matches are played in these places.”Schools' coaching scheme to be restructuredWestmeath County Board has announced a review of the current national schools coaching scheme.County Board chairman Tom Farrell in his address to convention said a restructuring process for the scheme had been agreed as a result of a meeting with clubs recently.“I believe it will provide a longer term benefit to clubs and young people involved. There will be greater efficencies and better outcomes for the investment.”A motion requesting that the current system of levying clubs for the scheme be amended to incorporate an opt-out option for clubs who did not wish to avail of the scheme had been tabled at convention by Maryland.Delegate Pat Dunleavy said it was partially motivated by the economic circumstances. His club sometimes found it difficult to see the value in the scheme when it was operated through schools.However, Mr Farrell said the board was planning to review both the scheme and its funding arrangements.But he stressed it was a necessity to have a coaching presence in schools and promotion and games officer Noel Delaney would draw up a template to see how it could be improved.County Board secretary Pat Lynagh said irrespective of the merits of the motion, there was no such thing as an opt out in the GAA. Once the county board decided on an issue such as this, it was applicable to all the clubs.Mr Dunleavy said his club would accept the review of the scheme and the outcome of it.Bring back minor captains' speechesWestmeath GAA is to submit a motion to the national congress seeking the restoration of the captains' acceptance speeches on All Ireland minor hurling and football final days.A motion to this effect at convention, by Tyrrellspass, was overwhelmingly endorsed by delegates after a vote.Gerry Gately (Tyrrellspass) told the convention in Mount Temple that his club felt it was a “bad decision” not to have speeches. He added that the reasons given by the GAA headquarters were “ridiculous”.And he claimed it was “a bit unedifying” to see some officials trying to get the captain off the field as fast as possible after the presentation.He wondered if the real reason was related to a need for time management to permit other activities during the period between the minor and senior matches.He reminded delegates that Westmeath's minor football champions of 1995 had been unable to conduct a lap of honour in Croke Park.County Board chairman Tom Farrell said he expected a motion to come before the 2011 Congress on the issue but Mr Gately said he felt Westmeath should be proactive on the issue and proceed with a motion to congress.Des Maguire (Mullingar Shamrocks) said he would do away with all speeches on All-Ireland final days.Let Westmeath decide its own championship structureWestmeath GAA is proposing that counties be allowed to decide how best to separate teams equal on points in local championships.At present, GAA rules dictate that the results between the teams in a previous game is the main criteria.But a motion by St Loman's Mullingar called for counties to have discretion as to whether to organise play-offs in such circumstances.Paddy Collins of St Loman's said the motion had been passed unanimously at last year's convention but at Congress, Westmeath were asked to withdraw the motion as a number of other counties had similar motions.It was planned that a composite motion would be prepared for Congress but he didn't think that had happened.“A county should be permitted to run their championships in a manner that they think best fits their circumstances,” he said.County Board chairman Tom Farrell said, on a national level, there had been “a sea change” in attitudes in Croke Park, exemplified by a decision to have replays in the first round of the provincial championships.The Downs want expanded ChampionshipA number of motions tabled at Saturday's annual convention of Westmeath GAA have been referred to the county board's planning committee.Among these was a proposal by The Downs that the number of teams in the senior football championship be increased from 12 to 16.This would be achieved by promoting the four semi-finalists of the intermediate championship in 2011.It was further proposed to have a moratorium on relegation from senior to intermediate for a period of three years to allow the promoted teams a settling in period to the senior ranks.Outlining the concept of the motion, Adrien McGuire said over the years teams promoted from intermediate were relegated within a year or two.The moratorium on relegation would give them an opportunity to consolidate. He said the increase in the number of teams to 16 would permit four groups of four teams and a reduction in the number of games.This would help to streamline the championships, he said.