Statement from Coiste Chontae Mhuineacháin CLG re: Allianz NHL Division 3A Final

Coiste Chontae Mhuineacháin CLG wishes to make the following statement with regard to the decision by our County Senior Hurling Panel to make themselves unavailable for the Allianz Hurling Division 3A Final.

• The key responsibilty of Coiste Chontae Mhuineacháin CLG is the Clubs of Monaghan, (Football and Hurling) and their players.
• The primary issue for every club in Monaghan is the Club Fixture programme.
• The Clubs of Monaghan met on a number of occasions last November and December in order to put in place a Club Fixture Plan that provided for the best interests of all of the Clubs in Monaghan.
• All County Team Managers in place at that time were consulted with regard to this Fixture Plan.
• All County Team Managers appointed after this time would have been aware of the Fixture Plan in place.
• This Plan took on board the key wishes of the Clubs to provide a balanced and regular schedule of games.  At their request this Plan also included no fixtures on Public Holiday Weekends, a closed period in early August and the elimination of League Matches being played without County players.
• These allowances resulted in minimal flexibility and minimal free dates remaining available for any fixture changes.
• As a result of this Fixture Plan being agreed, clear Regulations had to be approved by the Clubs of Monaghan  to safeguard this Plan and to provide a specific process for changing any fixture.
• It is the remit and responsibility of Coiste Contae Mhuineacháin  to ensure that these clear regulations are implemented and respected.
• These Regulations were used appropriately to re-fix all fixtures involving Monaghan Hurlers, originally fixed for Sunday 15^th April, to avoid a clash with the Hurling Final.
• In addition, some Clubs within Monaghan made attempts to re-arrange fixtures from Wednesday 11^th, back to Easter Monday. These attempts were obstructed by the County Hurling Manager insofar as he instructed the County Hurling Officer to discontinue his discussions with the relevant Clubs.
• This matter could have been resolved within the current regulations had the games proceeded on Monday 9th April, giving the hurlers a six day break rather than the seven day break requested by the then county hurling manager.
• The County Hurling Manager then contacted the Hurling Officer of Coiste Chontae Mhuineacháin CLG on Wednesday 4^th April threatening to resign his post if any fixtures involving County hurlers went ahead in the seven day period leading up to the Hurling Final.
• Coiste Chontae Mhuineacháin CLG was not in a position to concede to this threat without breaking our Fixture Regulations, seriously disrupting the overall Fixture Plan and ignoring the club wishes.
• It is the responsibility of all officials appointed by the Coiste Chontae Mhuineacháin to work within the parameters as set out by Coiste Chontae Mhuineacháin and the clubs of Monaghan.
• The impact on the Club Fixture Plan would mean that if all requests from the County Hurling Manager had been granted, more than 35% of Club Fixtures in the Intermediate Football League in Monaghan would have been lost and more than 65% of Club Fixtures involving Clubs with County Hurlers would have been lost in the same League by 10^th June.
• One Club would only have fulfilled three of their fixtures by 10^th June, by which time all other clubs would have played nine fixtures.
• A further effort, with the agreement of GAA in Croke Park, to find an alternative for the Div 3A final was only one of a number of avenues exhausted to resolve this issue.
• The matter regarding the forfeiture of the Div 3A final fixture is not one of a lack of support for hurling in the weaker counties but one of the completion and facilitation of a Club Fixture programme, which is an issue and priority in all counties. It is worth noting that the Fingal players also had club games scheduled for this week.
• Coiste Chontae Mhuineacháin CLG were at all times prepared to ensure the following accommodation to our County Hurling Team:
  •  four days free of fixtures in advance of the Div 3A League Final
  •  four days free of fixtures in advance of each Nicky Rackard  Cup game
• The County Hurling Manager was not prepared to discuss this proposal with the Chairman of Coiste Chontae Mhuineacháin CLG and rejected it once the decision was communicated to him that the fixtures on Wednesday 11^th April would proceed.
• Coiste Chontae Mhuineacháin CLG are disappointed that the County Hurling Manager decided to resign, thereby leaving the players with a difficult decision regarding their preparation for and participation in this Final.
• To conclude, Coiste Chontae Mhuineacháin CLG will continue to act in the best interests of all participants and supporters of our games, football and hurling, within the County.