http://www.midwestradio.ie/index.php/sport/22488-statement-from-knocmore-gaa-club-on-cancelling-of-charity-match

More proof if needed that GAA top brass are further removed from the community. I know many who were goin to this game and you had the likes of Brolly, Oisin McConville, Owen Mulligan, Senan Connell, Dessie Farrell, Ja Fallon Liam McHale & Ciaran McDonald showing up. A similar event was held last year before the All Ireland final and was a huge success.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11231 - 12/09/2014 16:07:09    1651386

GAA HQ are always double quick to tell you what you can't do. They are also very good at protecting their own commercial circles and anything that remotely upsets their business activity gets the chop. That said the message from GAA club is a little vague on why the GAA pulled plug.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4896 - 12/09/2014 16:51:06    1651409

What is all that about? This is unbelievable. Is there something I am missing as regards why the GAA would want to cancel it?

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 12/09/2014 16:58:47    1651412

It's all about making money for HQ, Yew Tree. They really don't give a stuff about the ordinary people who backbone the GAA and have made it what it is today.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 12/09/2014 17:01:39    1651414

Why did Knockmore need to get the GAA to sanction this?

Even if they did need the GAA to approve why the hell are they following orders from them, they should have went ahead and played the match the GAA would be fairly powerless to stop them and it would have been fairly stupid of the GAA to hand out aany punishment for playing the match.These idiotic GAA rules are in place because clubs decide to follow them.

uibhfhaili1986 (Offaly) - Posts: 1296 - 13/09/2014 11:30:16    1651547

there must have been some other activities or events going on as well as the match. For a match all you need do is notify your county secretary and tell them the name of the referee for the match.

Clubgaa (Limerick) - Posts: 879 - 13/09/2014 14:47:08    1651592

Sad story but I dont really blame the GAA to be honest. Its an insurance thing. For me the blame lies with the compensation culture that we take advantage of. If we didnt go around suing eachother every two seconds events like these would be far more common.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 13/09/2014 15:29:32    1651606

Croke Park communications manager Alan Milton gave the Association's side of the story: "The GAA can confirm its public liability and player injury scheme did not extend to cover a proposed charity match in Knockmore this weekend.

"Despite this fixture being planned for six months the first notification received by the Association at central level was one week ago.

"The event was being organised for the benefit of a third party charity that was assuming no risk and despite assurances that other bodies were willing to provide cover for the event, evidence of same was never provided."

If you want to play a challenge match both club secretaries have to give at least 48 hours official notice (with correct documentation), provide an official referee & state time, venue & opposition before the game can be approved & therefore players involved properly insured. I personally hate all this red tape but unfortunately that's the way it has to be. It sounds like Knockmore didn't all dot their 'i's & cross their 't's.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 13/09/2014 17:17:53    1651637

Don't understand how this game did not get the go ahead considering earlier this year at a GAA club grounds in Kildare a "charity" match took place between former Man U players and locals who had to pay 250 euro for the priviledge of playing against the former united stars.

lilywhite1 (Kildare) - Posts: 2990 - 13/09/2014 17:53:04    1651644

It's Croke Park taking the mick yet again, first it was the Garth Brooks disaster then the semi replay in Limerick farce and now a forced cancelation charity match, what do grassroots GAA people have to do to get fairness from Croke Park? I know! put on an American Football helmet and say i want to play a FOREIGN SPORT on your sacred ground and Croke Park will bend over backwards to help you out and move every obsticule in your way even an AllIreland semi final. There are 2 different groups within the GAA family, Croke Park and the GAA. Croke Park are a business organisation, the GAA are counties, clubs and supporters and both sides never agree on anything and never will until Croke Park suits are removed are and under control by the GAA. Give us back our organisation and let us run it as it is meant for and that is work from grassroots upwards not from the top down

riverboys (Mayo) - Posts: 1389 - 13/09/2014 21:07:25    1651738

Ha' rubbish, these are player injury schemes (the GAA don't do insurance). Our clubs membership fees a massive chunk go towards these so-called schemes. At juvenile level they are a shocking joke, ironically as all juveniles are covered by school insurance these schemes are largely redundant at juvenile level. At adult level they were so hit and miss, I have heard of so many exemptions, so much red tape, so much hocus pocus and scheme document that would require a lawyer to fill in. And then to think how much of players fees go towards this its ridiculous.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4896 - 14/09/2014 17:50:09    1651931