West Convention:
The 88th Annual General Meeting of West Tipperary GAA took place in the Cappawhite Community Centre on Wednesday night last December 7th.
Joe Carmody welcomed delegates to Cappawhite for this year’s convention.
County Chairman’s Address
West Chairman John O’Shea then invited County Board chairman Michael Bourke to address delegates. Michael stated it had been a very successful year at intercounty for county winning both Minor and Senior All Ireland Hurling titles. This had been down to the good work being done at club level and also at juvenile level in the County.
He complimented the current West Board officers on what had been their first year in office after a complete change at the top table after last year’s convention. He thanked them for their work and co-operation throughout 2016.
The proposed new Intercounty Football structure will have to be debated. The moving forward of the All Ireland finals may give clubs an extra two weeks but club players need to know when they are playing. A good club structure is vital for players going forward and how the new Intercounty football structure could impede on this will have to be looked at closely.
Parish rule may also have to be looked at going forward. Are clubs vibrant under parish rule? Is every player getting an opportunity to play? Players may be losing out or lost to the game when two clubs join together to form a combination.
He also questioned the timing of games, wondering are we playing our games at the best possible time to draw spectators or are we just getting the games played. Games need to be played at the right time.
Michael finished by wishing the West teams the best of luck for 2017.
Secretary’s Report:
Michael McCarthy presented his first report as Secretary of the board. He praised the efforts of our Intercounty teams both hurling and football for their exploits in 2016. He also congratulated Michael Ryan, Liam Cahill and Liam Kerins on their success in the year past. He gave a special mention to the West representatives on the respective panels.
He went through the various competitions the division had ran throughout the year and congratulated the clubs who had won West honours in 2016. Some of those had gone on to win County honours, Clonoulty/Rossmore (Junior A Football), Arravale Rovers (Junior B Football), Galtee/Golden (Minor A Football) while Cashel King Cormacs amassed the County Minor B Hurling and Football titles. Golden/Kilfeacle went very close in both the U21B and Intermediate Football county football finals while Sean Treacys and Lattin/Cullen Gaels were beaten at the semi-final stage of the Intermediate Hurling championship. Clonoulty/Rossmore won the West Senior Hurling championship before eventually going down to County champions Thurles Sarsfields in the County semi-final.
He thanked all the sponsors for their tremendous support and hoped they would all stay on board for the forthcoming year.
The club player has come into focus even more since the advent of the new Club Players association. Club players are not getting enough games but the current intercounty calendar means there is no room for more games. Until the Intercounty scene is looked at there will be no change to the club season. In 2018 the structure of the Senior and Intermediate Hurling along with the Senior Football formats will be revisited. He asked all clubs to look at these structures and to put forward motions next year but also to bear in mind the important role of the Divisions have to play.
He thanked all the referees and their co-ordinator John Ryan B for their officiating in 2016. A recruitment drive will take place in 2017 and he urged all clubs to put forward people. He asked that the men in black be respected. Other codes have initiated a Give respect, Get Respect and Silent side-line campaign. Without referees our games would not go ahead.
The coverage our games receive on Social media and printed newspapers is second to none and that all comes down to the hard work of our PRO Francis Coughlan.
He thanked his fellow officers and the CCC Chairman and members for their efforts in fixing and running the divisions games. He congratulated Tommy Landers and his fellow officers for a very successful Board programme in 2016.
Chairman’s Address:
John O’Shea then presented his first address as Chairman of the Division. He too congratulated the clubs on their success in 2016 and the intercounty teams on their success and for the first time since 1935 both the Minor and Senior All Ireland Hurling titles reside in the county. It was also an amazing year for our Intercounty Senior Footballers who reached a first All Ireland semi-final since 1935.
All divisional competitions were completed and county deadlines met and this was down to the co-operation of the clubs and the work of the CCC. He remarked that three of the four County Minor trophies now reside in the division.
On the subject of amalgamations he asked clubs to have a long hard look at their reason for doing so. They must look at their club long term ensuring that such an amalgamation would not result in the losing of players form the game due the lack of playing time.
He thanked all the sponsors for the support during 2016 and asked where possible to support local enterprise within their community.
The reporting of our games to both our Association members and the wider community is most important. He thanked the contributors to The Tipperary Star and Nationalist and Tipp FM. He said we are extremely lucky in the division with the coverage which our games are afforded by Tipp Mid West Community Radio. He praised the efforts of the sports presenters and in particular Stevie O’Donnell and Michael Hennessy. This can often be the only outlet some people have in following our games. He asked that all club officers and team mentors be as helpful as possible when contacted by any local presenter or journalist regarding our games.
Treasurers Report:
Michael Devlin detailed the income and expenditures of the treasurer’s report where the division earned a surplus of €3,330 during 2016, the gate receipts increased to €40,313 compared to €38,254 in the prior year.
County Development Officer PJ Maher also addressed delegates.
He stressed the importance of an insurance health and safety statement and that all clubs should have one. Club secretaries have recently received information re exclusions on the declaration. No club is allowed a Bouncy Castle or inflatables on their clubs ground. The club will not be insured.
Club Officer training will return to the division for one night this year, on February 13th in Ballykisteen for Chairman’s, Secretaries, Treasurers and PRO’s.
A new strategic plan in being put in place to 2020 as the existing plan has matured. They want the views of Players, Officers and club people. In the past this would have involved going around and meeting clubs and their members but this did not always work. Instead they will conduct an online survey which they hope to have available in the first two weeks of January. The bigger the response the better the feedback.
He mentioned some of the topics which can be looked at as part of this review namely
Fixtures and Fixture bodies, Club Finance, Club personal or the lack of personal,
County Board and Divisional structures, Parish Rule and Coaching.
He also stressed the importance of each club having a children’s officer. Failure to do so will see the role fall back on the Chairman of the club.
The following Officers were elected on the night:
Hon. President: Mot Rev Dermot Clifford
Life Presidents: Mick Maguire, Jerry Ring
Chairperson: John O’Shea (Clonoulty/Rossmore)
Vice Chairperson: Michael Ryan (c) (Solohead)
Secretary: Michael McCarthy (Cappawhite)
Assistant Secretary: John Morrissey (Galtee Rovers)
Treasurer: Michael Devlin (Eire Og Annacarty Donohill)
Assistant Treasurer: Billy Ryan (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams)
PRO: Francis Coughlan (Arravale Rovers)
Youth Officer: Joe Hammersley (Clonoulty/Rossmore)
Officer Irish Language and Culture: Laoise O’Keeffe
Coaching Officer: Nominations to be accepted
Development Officer: James O’Donnell (Golden/Kilfeacle)
Management Committee: John O’Shea, Michael Ryan (c), Michael McCarthy, John Morrissey, Michael Devlin, Billy Ryan, James O’Donnell, John Currivan, Noel O’Brien, Michael Long,
CCC: John O’Shea, Michael McCarthy, Richard O’Connor, Tom English, Billy Ryan, John Ryan Bob (Referee’s Co Coordinator.
Gate Checkers: Ratified at Adjourned convention
Coaching Committee: Joe Power, Tom O’Donnell, Roger Ryan, Kevin Hally, Tommy Landers
Bord Na Nog Rep: Tommy Landers
Bord Na Nog
The following are the officers of West Bord na Nog 2017 and CCC
Life Presidents: Michael Gleeson (Arravale Rvs) & Liam O Dwyer (Arravale Rvs)
Chairman: Tommy Landers (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams)
Vice-Chairman: John Carey (Sean Treacys)
Secretary: Matt Geraghty (Rosegreen)
Treasurer: John Joe Morrissey (Cashel King Cormacs)
PRO: Margaret O Carroll (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams)
West Senior Bord Delegate: Tommy Landers (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams)
Co. Football Bord Delegate: Tommy Fitzgerald (Solohead)
Co. Coiste na nOg Delegates: Christy Ryan (Clonoulty/Rossmore) & Conor English (Rockwell Rvs)
Runai CCC Coiste na nOg: Tom O Donnell (Golden/Kilfeacle)
Assistant Treasurer: Billy Ryan Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams)
Registrar: Roger Ryan (Cashel KC)
GDA: Kevin Halley (Rockwell Rvs)
CCC Officers
Chairman: John Carey (Sean Treacys)
Secretary: Tom O Donnell (Golden/Kilfeacle)
Sean Carmody (Cappawhite)
Eddie Moroney (Arravale Rvs)
Sean O Dwyer (Cashel KC)
Kieran Moroney (Aherlow)
Denis Mahony (Eire Og)
Thomas Martin (Solohead)
Inter Provincial:
Commiserations to Eire Og Annacarty Donohill’s Brian Fox and his Munster team mates on their defeat to Ulster in the interprovincial semi-final in Parnell Park on Sunday last.
Independent.ie Higher Education GAA Championships:
The draws took place in Croke Park on Wednesday last for the 2017 Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cups.
Sigerson Cup
Preliminary Round
NUIG v Trinity College
Garda v Cork IT
GMIT v IT Sligo
Round One
UL v Maynooth University
Athlone IT v DIT
Garda/Cork IT v University Ulster
UCD v GMIT/Sligo IT – GMIT at home if they win preliminary round game
DCU Dochas Eireann v Queens University
St Mary’s v NUIG/Trinity – Trinity at home if they win preliminary round game
IT Carlow v IT Tralee
DCU St Patrick’s v UCC
Fitzgibbon Cup
Top two in each group qualify for quarter finals
Group A: IT Carlow, Mary I, GMIT, DIT
Group B: UL, NUIG, DCU St Patrick’s, CIT
Group C: DCU Dochas Eireann, LIT, Trinity, WIT
Group D: UCD, UCC, University Ulster, Maynooth University
Munster PPS:
For a full update of all Munster Post Primary schools fixtures and results please using the following link http://munstergaapps.ie/fixtures-results/
Inclusion:
If you wish to be included in the mailing list for West Tipperary GAA scene each week please send an email to pro.west.tipperary@gaa.ie
If clubs have any information including fundraisers they would like to add to West Tipperary GAA scene each week please email pro.west.tipperary@gaa.ie
Fixtures:
For up to date information on fixtures please check our Twitter page (@westtippgaa) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/west.tipperarygaa)
Francis Coughlan
West Tipperary GAA PRO
