GALWAY’S U14 LADIES footballers thought they had made it through to an All-Ireland final with their recent victory over Cavan.
But it has since emerged that the Westerners fielded an ineligible player in their thrilling 3-11 to 1-12 semi-final win against the Breffni girls in Moate.
The decision to dump them out of the competition has been met with a strong reaction from one player’s parent quoted in the Connacht Tribune, whose daughter allegedly cried herself to sleep when the news emerged.
“Why dad, why? We did nothing wrong. It’s not fair, it’s just not fair.”
The Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) has issued a statement this afternoon, explaining the reasons behind Galway’s expulsion.
The42 learned that Galway were notified two days in advance of the game that one of their players was unregistered, which has been verified by the LGFA statement.
The Galway county board was then contacted by LGFA officials and urged to correct the issue – but the player involved still lined out.
Registrars in various counties have a facility available to them ensuring that administrative changes can be made on an online registration system right up until throw-in.
The LGFA has indicated that even though Galway were made aware of the possible penalties involved, the player involved was still not registered.
The LGFA was left with no option but to follow the rulebook and insist that even if a similar issue arose at senior level in an All-Ireland final, the same course of action would still apply.
A Galway appeal heard this week failed and Cavan will face Cork in the All-Ireland ladies U14 final in Banagher on 4 July (1pm).
The official LGFA statement released reads as follows:
“On Thursday, June 18th, an emergency meeting of the Central Council of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association was convened to discuss the Under 14 All Ireland Semi Final which took place on Saturday, June 13th.
The meeting was called to deal with the fact that Galway had played an unregistered player during their semi final win over Cavan.
“According to Rule 56 of the Official Guide of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association ‘Any team proved to have played an unregistered player shall be fined €100 per offending player and shall forfeit the game to their opponents unless exempted by Rule 258.’
“In this case rule 258 did not apply as the rule states that ‘a breach of rule by a Member, Club, or County occurred by default and without knowledge’ as in this case the Galway County Board had been informed of the situation regarding the unregistered player on June 11th, 2 days prior to the semi final, and were advised to register her.
In order for a player to play Ladies Gaelic football in an official competition, she must be a registered member of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association.
“It is clear from all the information forwarded that the player in question was not registered for the All Ireland Semi Final and Galway County Board had been notified of this situation on Thursday 11th June 2015.
“If a player is unregistered and participates in a game or training session, they are not covered by the Injury fund, meaning that should serious injury occur, the player and parents will not be covered for the financial hardship incurred as well as the obvious dangers to the health of the player.
“An appeal submitted by the Galway County board has been denied in accordance with Rule 297 of the Official Guide and the decision of Central Council on the 18th June stands.
Rule 297:
“There shall be no appeal against decisions of Central Council, except where fresh evidence is forthcoming that was not available at the time of the original decision.”
In accordance with the Association’s rules, as implemented by Central Council, Galway will forfeit the match.
Originally published at 13.46
Dublin would have been perfect. No problem for the athletes sourcing drugs.
The Olympics in Dublin……. Hahahahaha…..
Can’t get 6 Garth Brooks concerts sorted but can do the Olympics?? Yeah…..nah.
Haha brilliant. No other city had drugs problems. That’s why it’s so funny
Would have got it if we had included a decent bribes committee
Here we go again the auld Irish attitude laughng at such a bid. We have some marvelous rivers that would be brilliant for the canoeing. Brilliant golf courses. We have an 85,000 capacity stadium for track and field. We have the Aviva for the soccer, I am sure one of our many 30,000 + GAA Stadia could be used for sevens rugby. The 3 Arena for boxing. The list goes on. We could and we should be hosting an Olympics, World Cup and Euros.
Where is this 85,000 seat track and field stadium?!! Because croagh park doesn’t have a track last time I looked.
I do think holding the Olympics would be a stretch too far for a country of 4.6 million, however at the same time we do seriously need to shake off the small town attitude we have. Any badly needed major infrastructure project is often met with laughs of “ah shur what do we need that for you’d swear we’re all living in New York” or something along those lines.
Perhaps holding the Rugby World Cup would be a very achievable aim that would help people become a little bit more ambitious about the development of this country.
Yes and where were we going to get the money for revamping crokepark and the other stadiums? The Olympic village would be a bit of a problem don’t you think and families homeless? Not too mention the money that would have to be spent on public transport and infastruture in order to be even considered.
And plenty of turnstiles for the hurdle races
Don’t we have every nationality living in Dublin
Just organize them
Just alone regarding Croke Park:
Despite now being Europe’s 3rd largest stadium and sandwiched between two railway lines, it does not have even one railway station.
Moreover, a railway station was supposed to be provided when the stadium was redeveloped.
Yet strangely, when the GAA redeveloped above the railway tracks a few years ago, the station was never built – but CIE got two corporate boxes for heart own private use.
Now the GAA are baffled as to why the natives object when events such as concerts are proposed, yet all the while, the main and most obvious problem is movement of people – i.e. a transport issue.
If those in authority are too arrogant or oblivious so as to provide such obvious facilities – where infrastructure is already present regarding one stadium – it can only be considered a great blessing that Dublin was not burdened with further incompetence that would have happened with Olympics.
Engage brain before posting Phil. The article says back in the early 90′s we had no infrastructure. Most of the golf courses you refer to along with croke park the aviva the national aquatic centre were not built. Gay Mitchell was a gob sh**e back then and still is. Thankfully the people saw that when he went for president. Again I point out we had nothing as CJ had spent everything and hived it off for himself and his cronies.
It would’ve been our best chance at getting GAA into the Olympics…
Yes. We could’ve competed against ourselves. Guaranteed gold.
The Aussies would probably beat us in the football though
Poor old DOB would have made an absolute fortune in renting out his barriers – I bet you he is still wringing his hands and crying into his brandy over missing out.
That feasibility study must have cost a bit.
We couldn’t hold a Web summit
With the politicians in Ireland they would be off and running with all Comercial profits before the competition even started. A joke, the whole concept in the banans republic that the Irish politicians have shafted to their own gain going back to De Valera’s time. Tony Gregory was the last true Irish politician with integrity but then he didn’t have much competition
Gay mitchell is a populist. He wanted the headlines but never intended to host anything
I’m not sure how the beach volleyball would have fared on Dollymount Strand with the cold cold, wind and showers.
People thought it was a joke because it was a joke
Gay Mitchell is one of the biggest toolbags this country ever had, the first mainstream party candidate in the history of the state to lose his deposit when he ran for the Presidency !! His idea was completely mad & wasted a load of money at a time when the country hadn’t an ass in it’s pants. Deserves to be punched everytime he shows his weasel face in public !
Gay Mitchell is dead, have a pinch of respect ffs.
Gay Mitchel is not dead. His brother Jim is.
The poor of Brazil will suffer for decades because of the money they had to out into hosting it. No thanks leave it to bigger nations that have the money.
Olympics are a giant money pit. Way this county is we’re very lucky someone came to their senses and said no
It was a ridiculous idea, then same as now.
Irwin accused Mick Wallace of looking like a tramp. I can never listen to his west Brit voice after that. He also used his charity to run for the seanad.
The Dublin Dons would have been great
Cheaper to host than the recent bailout
well glad that didn’t go ahead would haven been yet more money spent on Dublin and the rest of the country shafted again! Dublin produces a log of gdp for Ireland…which is not a surprise given all development takes place there and so many people from outside sublime have had to move there dubliners can’t afford a house anymore. How ironic.
Dreaming in that is like Leitrim winning the all Ireland!
Amazing how public money can be spent on the ridiculous and it seem to be a relentless trait by the buffoons in power.