REPORT OF THE ARD STIÚRTHÓIR 8 AN CHOMHDÁIL BHLIANTÚIL 2018 2017 TUARASCÁIL AN ÁRD STIÚRTHÓRA AGUS CUNTAIS AIRGID 9 REPORT OF THE ARD STIÚRTHÓIR INTRODUCTION “In the All-Ireland hurling championship, the new order well and truly replaced the old” The outstanding achievement in the GAA sporting in the All-Ireland quarter-fnal. All of which made their year was undoubtedly Dublin’s third victory in-a-row in semi-fnal defeat to Dublin the more disappointing. the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. Only an The success of the Kerry minor team should not be exceptional team can reach such a consistently high overlooked; their 2017 All-Ireland victory was their standard, so there can be no question about the merit fourth title in-a-row, an exceptional achievement that of Dublin’s victory in 2017. When the stakes were at augurs well for the future of their senior team as it their highest and the pressure at its greatest, Dublin seeks to overcome Dublin’s current superiority. again proved themselves to be true champions. And yet the margin of fnal victory in September was as In the All-Ireland hurling championship, the new order small as it could be, not just in the fnal score but in well and truly replaced the old. It was not simply that the whole ebb and fow of what was an extraordinarily Kilkenny failed to reach even the Leinster fnal, but tense fnal against Mayo. So close was the encounter that the two other titans of hurling, Tipperary and that it was easy afterwards to imagine scenarios – a Cork, were also toppled in their respective All-Ireland chance not missed, a diferent option taken – in which semi-fnals. So it was that Galway and Waterford Mayo would have been All-Ireland champions. There reached the All-Ireland fnal, and created remarkable isn’t a county or club in Ireland that doesn’t lament the excitement in the build-up to the match. Both teams way a fnal turned cruelly against them; but can there relished reaching the fnal, not just as the fruit of their be a team that comes even close to what Mayo – the campaigns but in their having fallen frustratingly short team and the entire county – must feel when looking of their own expectations in previous years. It was back at fnals that slipped agonisingly through their ultimately to be Galway’s triumph after a 29-year wait, fngers, and, in particular, in 2017 after their marathon a popular victory for a team that had shown a mental ten-game championship odyssey? One, then, salutes toughness not always visible in previous fnals, and a a great Dublin team and at the same time feels the day made all the more precious by the victory of Galway sorrow of yet another bitter All-Ireland fnal defeat for minors in their fnal. Waterford’s day will come soon, this courageous and talented Mayo team. one feels, which is, however – along with the sympathy the team earned – meagre comfort for a county that Elsewhere in the championship, the most notable has not won an All-Ireland since 1959. achievement was Roscommon’s unexpected – although surely not to them – victory in the Connacht The other winner in the senior hurling championship was championship, all the more notable for their defeating hurling itself. A reinvigorated Cork lit up the summer Galway in Pearse Stadium in the fnal. Tyrone proved with irresistible performances and victories over that they are once again the team to beat in Ulster; Tipperary, Waterford and Clare in Munster, bringing with they proved much too strong for Derry, Donegal and them the great red throngs of their supporters for three Down in their campaign, and indeed against Armagh celebratory afternoons in Thurles. 10 AN CHOMHDÁIL BHLIANTÚIL 2018 2017 TUARASCÁIL AN ÁRD STIÚRTHÓRA AGUS CUNTAIS AIRGID Dublin captain Stephen Cluxton leads his side during the parade prior to the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final between Dublin and Mayo at Croke Park In Leinster, it was Wexford that brought the that will see the senior football championship excitement, carried over from their promotion to quarter-finals contested on a round-robin basis Division 1A in the spring. Motivated and renewed by and the timing of the championship amended to Davy Fitzgerald, their great day was the Leinster semi- allow a fairer schedule of matches for club players. fnal defeat of Kilkenny. And the Wexford supporters, At the Special Congress in September it was agreed, too, rallied behind their team in remarkable numbers, among other changes to the hurling championship culminating in the huge Leinster fnal attendance. One structures, that the Leinster and Munster Senior leaves the 2017 hurling championship in anticipation Hurling Championships would be played on a round- of what is set up to be a highly competitive 2018 robin basis. championship. Finally, one salutes Cuala (Dublin), Carrickshock (Kilkenny) and Mayfeld (Cork) in hurling, Two other developments are worthy of mention and the footballers of Dr. Crokes (Kerry), Westport here. Signifcant progress has been made towards (Mayo) and Glenbeigh-Glencar (Kerry) for their victories the building of the new National Handball Centre; in the All-Ireland club championships. planning permission has been achieved and work is about to begin on what will be a state-of-the-art Away from the games, 2017 was notable for the facility for GAA Handball. And the beautiful new Páirc holding of two Congresses, but even more so for Uí Chaoimh was opened, and received the matches it the decisions taken at these. At the annual February deserved when the All-Ireland hurling quarter-fnals Congress it was agreed to adopt a three-year trial were held there at the end of July. 11 REPORT OF THE ARD STIÚRTHÓIR CONGRESS “Congress is often described – not always fairly – as being unduly conservative, but on this occasion there was clearly an appetite for change” Congress 2017, held in Croke Park, debated 56 motions would be structured. Achieving consensus while and produced some of the liveliest debate of recent preserving the provincial championships will not be years. Congress is often described – not always fairly easy. There are those who are quick to criticise the – as being unduly conservative but, on this occasion provincial championships, but it must be recognised there was clearly an appetite for change. Much of the that there is a strong attachment to them throughout interest centred on motions to reform the All-Ireland the Association. But we must fnd a way to give Senior Football Championship, but signifcant decisions all counties the possibility of success in a football were taken over a broad range of issues. championship. It should be noted that in 2018 the All-Ireland hurling championships will consist of fve The debate on the structure of the football competitions at All-Ireland level. In football, there is championship centred on motions which sought to only one, a structure that is not sustainable. address some of the defciencies in the championship’s structure, while at the same time recognising the Another signifcant motion passed means that, in need to meet the demand from club players for a future, motions to Congress to remove, amend or fairer schedule of games. Time alone will tell whether temporarily amend/set aside a rule will be carried the motions passed at Congress, and at the Special by a three-ffths (60%) majority of the vote rather Congress in September, will realise these objectives, than by the previous two-thirds majority. The same but there are grounds for believing that the revised arrangement now applies to the amendment of county football championship format will enhance the bye-laws. The passing of these motions makes the competition through eight additional competitive process of responding to change a little easier, as was matches at provincial venues, contested by the seen at the Special Congress later in the year. country’s eight best teams. Perhaps the most impassioned debate was on a Congress took the wise decision to introduce the motion that wasn’t passed. Several counties proposed changes on a three-year trial basis, which is a motions from clubs that would allow players over 16 reasonable period in which to assess the value of years (rather than over 17) to be eligible to play at the new format. In truth, this structure is likely to adult level. The key argument of the proposers was be a temporary arrangement in that it will allow the that many clubs, especially those in rural areas, are Association time to devise a system that will meet the struggling for numbers and fnd it difcult to feld needs of less successful counties. There are compelling teams when deprived of the services of players who arguments in favour of developing a tiered football have reached the age of 16. The arguments against championship system, as in hurling, but the debate the motion focused on the impact on club fxtures of around this issue remains as difcult as ever, notably talented U17 players on inter-county minor teams, the in resolving the question of how a tiered championship danger of burnout and on potential medical issues that 12 AN CHOMHDÁIL BHLIANTÚIL 2018 2017 TUARASCÁIL AN ÁRD STIÚRTHÓRA AGUS CUNTAIS AIRGID 25 February 2017; Delegates assemble before the 2017 GAA Annual Congress at Croke Park. could arise from young adolescent players competing While it does nothing to address society’s growing against fully physically developed adults. The motion problem of gambling addiction, the new rule is was defeated by 59% to 41%. I respect the sincerity nonetheless an important addition to the Ofcial of those who argued for a change in the rule, but I Guide.