Kev your idea on a weekend festival for the club semis/finals is a good one. What format did you have in mind?
Limerick have played two rounds of football in absolutely atrocious conditions. Monaleen have ended up with no game played, after one was abandoned due to conditions and they had another game postponed on Friday.
Limerick always got two rounds of football played but usually at the end of April. Originally it was to start this weekend but they moved everything a week earlier so the senior hurlers could go on a training camp next weekend.
(Itâs only football etc etc etc)
Time enough to play the next round of that shit next October.
I was talking to a Limerick management member yesterday and it seems an awful mess.
one thing that gets me the whole time they are doing their releases or surveys, is their insistence on a split season, having games in April/March and then off for the summer and back again. Yet their survey on a loaded question has only got 53% support in favour of it. Surely they need to go look at a better option now then rather than having the split in the middle of a club season.
Inter county season February to August bank holiday. Club championship middle of July,start of August for counties who reach later stages. Itâs not rocket science.
Have they any suggestions yet? All I ever see is whinging.
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Their questions are nonsense sometimes and as ypu say loaded.
Like the GPA they are completely unable to take criticism. I asked some simple questions recently of Kernan and CPA account. No response. Fairly simple stuff.
Like Sinn Fein of the gaa world.
At some point you have to move from contrarian to a solution finder.
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It seems they have a set agenda on what they think might work and are just leading it that way even if many of those they survey donât actually agree.
An organisation that doesnât listen to its members, where have I seen that before? 
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Kernan is a spoofer. Heâs been jacked off most match analysis. CPA is his last chance to keep himself relevant in GAA circles.
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The Club Players Association (CPA) has withdrawn from the GAAâs Fixtures Calendar Review task force.
The move comes out of frustration with the GAAâs fixtures committee, with the CPA claiming that it was set-up to merely âratify the status quoâ.
Media received a pack with following statement at this morningâs press briefing:
âThe Club Playerâs Association was launched almost three years ago as a culmination of the frustration, and disenchantment that was and is still being felt by GAA club players around the country. The dropout rate in our games is acknowledged as being too high and yet not enough has been done to address the problem. Competing demands on our players are a source of physical injury and a factor in health and wellbeing issues.
âFrom the outset the CPA has advocated that we wanted a Fixturesâ Task Force formed to review all competitions, and the timing of those competitions, so that all factions of the GAA would get a fair allocation of time to play their games. The administration of PĂĄraic Duffy and Aogan Oâ Fearghaill ignored our requests to set up such a review in the last years of their tenure. When John Horan and Tom Ryan took office in early 2018 we engaged with them in a similar fashion and after three one-on-one discussions that I had with the new Director General on the issue over last winter, John Horan finally agreed to set up the Calendar Review Task Force in 2019.
âIn my discussions with Tom Ryan we both agreed that the mix of the Task Force needed to include individuals representing every area of the GAA. We strongly pushed for an independent chairman that was âof the GAAâ but ânot from the GAAâ. And we specifically did not think it would be a good idea to have people involved who would be defensive and protective of decisions that were made previously.
âWe put forward the names of 3 independent chairmen who we thought were suitable for the post and had no connection to the CPA but would be capable of chairing such a Task Force. We also put forward names of people who could be Task Force members and had a good grasp of the games. In the end as you know, John Horan selected the committee and chairman and did not use any of our recommendations except a representative from the CPA, a representative from the GPA and a representative from Third Level. Whilst disappointed that there were so many insiders on the Task Force our executive voted to proceed to engage with the Task Force in good faith. John Horan and Tom Ryan met with myself, Liam Griffin, Michael Higgins and Joan Kehoe on 13th May in Croke Park where the President confirmed that nothing would be off the table. At that meeting we also asked that an individual qualified in Sports Science should be considered for inclusion in the Task Force, given that player welfare and injury prevention is a primary consideration in fixture loading. That appointment to the Group did not materialise either. Nevertheless, the decision was made to persevere in good faith in the hope of a positive, productive and proactive process.
âLast night the CPA sent an email to the Task Force Chairman Eddie Sullivan, withdrawing our participation in the Task Force with immediate effect. With the publication of the report due to be sent to Central Council shortly, we cannot in good conscience put our names to such a compromised document.
âThe establishment of the Fixtures Review Group presented the GAA with an unprecedented opportunity to Fix the Fixtures; to address the biggest concern among GAA players throughout the country; to put in place a programme that reflects the reality that our players face. As it stands, we are bitterly disappointed and frustrated that this is an opportunity missed and that the GAA membership faces the real prospect of proposals coming forward to Congress that fall short of expectations and do not address the concerns of players and their teams as expressed in our core objectives;
⢠to establish a national games program with a regular playing season for clubs.
⢠to curb the pervasive influence of the county scene on the fixtures calendar of club players.
⢠To set out fixtures for clubs in a definitive manner rather than the current situation whereby club games are vying for space in the calendar alongside national league and championship fixtures at inter-county level.
âWe donât want to outline a chronological history of all the Task Force meetings that happened from June to last week here today. It would not be fair to members of the Task Force to highlight comments or debate at the meetings so we want to maintain that respect and confidentiality. And we must point out that in fairness, there were some very measured and informed debates on quite a lot of topics. But we want to point out the following as summary of our views
⢠The Task Force needed to adopt Fixture Making Principles from the outset. This was not done until early November and no plan has ever been measured against the Principles.
⢠The Taskforce spent the first couple of months hearing submissions from other groups, without ever getting into meaningful discussions on them. The submissions had real merit and were deserving of proper consideration. Taskforce members were then sent an email on August 1st suggesting three âbroad optionsâ for consideration. In the same email, the members were asked to review the submissions from the general public. Despite our best efforts, the three âbroad optionsâ suggested on August 1st dominated subsequent discussions. This not only made a mockery of asking the public for their opinion but it also contradicted the notion that âeverything was on the tableâ.
⢠Our contention is that the Taskforce is a âTrojan Horseâ, designed to give cover to the GAA authorities to ratify the Status Quo, while having the appearance of consultation and thoughtful deliberation. In reality, it will simply be a ratification process for the newly introduced Tier Two football championship and retention of the Super 8s. Proposals that stand the best chance of getting through the decision making process at Congress, are not the same thing as the best proposals for the future of the GAA.
⢠The Taskforce made a conscious decision not to adjust the Hurling structures. While making some small suggestions, the CPA was initially supportive of this approach, as we felt the Taskforce could offer better overall balance if the football championship was properly addressed. However, as this will not happen, it is now obvious to us that rubberstamping the new football championship was the priority of the Taskforce all along.
⢠The CPA put forward concrete Fixture Plans at the start of the process, which were not entertained. And the CPA was the only member of the group to develop further plans during the process, responding to feedback in good faith. While not perfect, we believe these two plans are superior to any currently being advocated by the Taskforce. We hoped at least one would be adopted into the final report but when we asked for a vote on November 6th to measure support, we were refused. [This submission will be made available.} This is not a matter of sour grapes but illustrates in our view a reluctance to take on board differing views. Our mantra has been it is not who is right but what is right for the Association.
âWe have handed out a significant trail of recent documentation so that the membership of the GAA can make up their own minds on the authenticity of the Task Force. It includes
⢠Correspondence confirming agreement with CPA and DG and President prior to Task Force being set up
⢠Terms of Reference of the Task Force
⢠Email from CPA to look to have fixture making principles adopted in early July
⢠Summary of all the previous reports the chairman asked members to read and as compiled by executive of CPA and distributed to Task Force
⢠Letter, Presentation and plans as presented by CPA to Task Force when they formally presented to the group on 18th July. Some hardback copies available also.
⢠Issues and Principles ranked as per CPA Executive
⢠Email to chairman in August highlighting the lack of meetings among other concerns
⢠Request to the Fixtures Analyst Committee to forward 2018 analysis, information which was not subsequently provided
⢠Letter to chairman highlighting more issues in Sept and critiquing the plans
⢠Request from Croke Park for MicheĂĄl Briody & Paul Flynn of GPA not to debate Tier 2 on RTE as it âmay not impact positively on the workings of the Fixtures Review Committeeâ
⢠2 x Presentation of revised models by CPA to Task Force in October
⢠CPAâs comparison of the models as compiled by the Taskforce + CPA 2 models by number of weeks and principles as discussed at Nov 13th meeting.
âWe are disappointed that the Task Force will not deliver the proposed options that the membership deserves to debate and vote upon. The CPA will not be an accomplice to the entrenchment of the Status Quo.
âWe felt it was the best option for our membership to reveal the efforts that we made and explain the intricate workings of the Task Force. The membership has been inundated with rhetoric in 2019 of âWhere We All Belongâ at the same time as our Association is fast becoming an organization who no longer prioritises the Association as a community based Gaelic Games and Culture organisation with the club and the club player at its core. Unfortunately, there is a clear and growing disconnect between the leadership of the GAA and their grassroots members.
âThe reality is one of players voting with their feet and deciding that they do not all belong with their clubs and their teammates. The Taskforce will report in due course and players, members, coaches and administrators can decide for themselves if the results and the proposals are the best that the GAA can come up with for the future of our games. We in the CPA strongly believe this not to be the case.
- MicheĂĄl Briody, CPA Chairman.â
And no, I wonât bullet point it
Is that Eddie Sullivan from Limerick?
Fuck no, they wouldnât let that role out of dublin
Eddie OâSullivan (Chair) Member of An Coiste BainistĂochta, former club chair St Sylvesterâs GAA, Dublin
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The auld fixtures thing is a bit of an unwinnable war, given you have two codes and inter county players who clubs have to have. Not to mention, underage county and club, plus colleges etc.
They are making a balls of it, but itâs an impossible proposition
Plus 32 different championship structures (or possibly even up to 64 different ones)
And 32 different is only the senior championship, then you have intermediate etc in each county which might be a different format again.
Too many parishes with too many pumps.
Abolish u-20 and make it u-23. But anyone who is named on the senior panel or minor panel canât play in it. Make it a development thing. Play it alongside the senior championship and minor championship on the same weekends etc. maybe a Saturday vs a Sunday or whatever.
Thatâd solve one problem.