National Forum

Advice On Appealing County Board Decision To Leinster Council

(Oldest Posts First)

Hi we are looking for advice on appealing County Board Decision to Leinster Council to not let 2 clubs field a combined minor team for 2020 , where each club only has 10 players each and precedent all ready exists in County of 2 other clubs fielding a combined minor team .....all advise welcome as we have no expierence of this

Flurry (Kilkenny) - Posts: 4 - 29/01/2020 10:58:39    2263437

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Submit letter toy our Leinster County board. What grounds are your county board refusing amalgamations?

hamsterdean (Limerick) - Posts: 223 - 29/01/2020 11:15:28    2263443

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I know its not in Leinster but in Leitrim - Eslin GAA club and Cloone GAA club haven't enough players to field a minor team and the few players they have are allowed to play with the neighbouring Mohill GAA club as an amalgamtion called St. Manchans.

Similarly Rinn Gaels is an amalgamation of two clubs Bornacoola GAA and Gortlettragh GAA for the same reasons. All these clubs field their own adult teams and various other underage teams on their own where at all possible. I don't think anyone in Leitrim or Connacht GAA has any issues with this when the reasons are shown to be genuine lack of numbers and a club connot field a team on their own.

leitrim4sam (Leitrim) - Posts: 644 - 29/01/2020 11:25:05    2263447

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No real "advice" to give other than the basic advice to submit your appeal in writing as soon as possible, setting out the reason(s) you're seeking amalgamation, the reason(s) the County Board gave for refusal, and why you think the County Board decision is unjustified. That's really all there is to it.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2229 - 29/01/2020 13:13:14    2263490

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Leinster council will only get involved as a last resort, they will just tell you to sort it out with KK county board. I would suggest writing a letter to the CCC and requesting a meeting with the 2 clubs involved. Failing that you may look at getting a local mediator involved

Brendanj (Westmeath) - Posts: 67 - 29/01/2020 14:00:29    2263502

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That's true. Important to first exhaust all avenues within the county. I assumed (maybe wrongly) that this had already been done.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2229 - 29/01/2020 15:52:26    2263538

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what reasons did they give for refusing your request?it doesnt make sense if that arrangement exists already

mooncat (Kilkenny) - Posts: 533 - 29/01/2020 17:08:18    2263555

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Go to your solicitors & get them to issue a letter to your County Board & Provincial Council, seeking clarification on all aspects of your request & querying what ruling the decision was based on & why given there was precedence that they denied permission. Send it by registered post. If there is no reply or unsatisfactory reply, initiate legal proceedings, this will see action taken on their part very rapidly.
However be aware of what happened this year with a particular club, there are a lot of very cynical people in power who will make life very difficult.
A Board that would deny juveniles the chance to participate to play should not be in charge of children. Participation for all should be the main tenet of any sporting organisation. If they don't change just get the players to join & play another sport where they will be welcomed.

moc.dna (Galway) - Posts: 1212 - 29/01/2020 19:41:29    2263601

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Wow, that's a very heavy-handed approach, haughty attitude, and even spoilt child sounding. Your end 'advice' is basically for the club to say 'if we don't get our way, we're going to take our toys and go play somewhere else'.

None of us know the ins and outs of this case, but has it occurred to you that there can actually be good reason for a Co. Board turning down a request for amalgamation?

Two examples:
1 - Club A and Club B could be 30 or 40 miles apart, but Club C in the parish beside Club A is also struggling for numbers. An A+C amalgamation would be the 'correct' way of doing it, but A prefers B because B are stronger overall. County Board would be right here to turn down the A+B application and say it should be A+C instead.

2 - Club A could have 14 players in that age group, and Club B could have 12. Obviously neither can field 15 on their own, but Co. Board could feel it would be better for both clubs to try find a few new players or promote a few more from a younger age group. This way there would be 15 playing for each club, and all get to play. An amalgamation would mean that only 15 out of 26 get to play, and 11 are left on the line.

I've seen scenarios very similar to both of these occur here in Wexford, where amalgamations at underage level are common, and where some clubs have (in my opinion) 'tried it on'. Am not suggesting in any what that this is the case with the original poster's club, but am very definitely saying that you shouldn't immediately jump to a conclusion of 'let the clubs have whatever they want, or else face legal action' , when you don't know the full circumstances.

Finally, as regards your very last piece of 'advice'…..do you really think people over a hurling team in Kilkenny are going to go to maybe 11 or 12 young lads and tell them 'right lads, we're not going to hurl any more at all, we're going to join the soccer or rugby team instead'???!!!

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2229 - 30/01/2020 12:49:19    2263744

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Wow, that's a very heavy-handed approach, haughty attitude, and even spoilt child sounding. Your end 'advice' is basically for the club to say 'if we don't get our way, we're going to take our toys and go play somewhere else'.

None of us know the ins and outs of this case, but has it occurred to you that there can actually be good reason for a Co. Board turning down a request for amalgamation?

Two examples:
1 - Club A and Club B could be 30 or 40 miles apart, but Club C in the parish beside Club A is also struggling for numbers. An A+C amalgamation would be the 'correct' way of doing it, but A prefers B because B are stronger overall. County Board would be right here to turn down the A+B application and say it should be A+C instead.

2 - Club A could have 14 players in that age group, and Club B could have 12. Obviously neither can field 15 on their own, but Co. Board could feel it would be better for both clubs to try find a few new players or promote a few more from a younger age group. This way there would be 15 playing for each club, and all get to play. An amalgamation would mean that only 15 out of 26 get to play, and 11 are left on the line.

I've seen scenarios very similar to both of these occur here in Wexford, where amalgamations at underage level are common, and where some clubs have (in my opinion) 'tried it on'. Am not suggesting in any what that this is the case with the original poster's club, but am very definitely saying that you shouldn't immediately jump to a conclusion of 'let the clubs have whatever they want, or else face legal action' , when you don't know the full circumstances.

Finally, as regards your very last piece of 'advice'…..do you really think people over a hurling team in Kilkenny are going to go to maybe 11 or 12 young lads and tell them 'right lads, we're not going to hurl any more at all, we're going to join the soccer or rugby team instead'???!!!"
very good post,must know the reasons for the refusal before giving advice,

mooncat (Kilkenny) - Posts: 533 - 30/01/2020 20:45:38    2263877

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Replying To Flurry:  "Hi we are looking for advice on appealing County Board Decision to Leinster Council to not let 2 clubs field a combined minor team for 2020 , where each club only has 10 players each and precedent all ready exists in County of 2 other clubs fielding a combined minor team .....all advise welcome as we have no expierence of this"
Hi, can you tell me how this worked out for you? We have a similar situation within our club and need to appeal a decision, that has already been appealed. Perhaps look at a legal challenge...... I would be interested to find out how you resolved your issues?

Lipbalmpam (Kilkenny) - Posts: 1 - 12/08/2020 09:56:34    2287308

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Replying To Flurry:  "Hi we are looking for advice on appealing County Board Decision to Leinster Council to not let 2 clubs field a combined minor team for 2020 , where each club only has 10 players each and precedent all ready exists in County of 2 other clubs fielding a combined minor team .....all advise welcome as we have no expierence of this"
If as you say, a "precedent all ready exists in County of 2 other clubs fielding a combined minor team". There must be a good reason for the County Boards's refusal. Also, is your situation the same as the "2 other clubs fielding a combined minor team?

I think there is more to this than meets the eye. What was the County Board's reason for the refusal?

Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 2447 - 16/08/2020 19:35:18    2287786

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Wow, that's a very heavy-handed approach, haughty attitude, and even spoilt child sounding. Your end 'advice' is basically for the club to say 'if we don't get our way, we're going to take our toys and go play somewhere else'.

None of us know the ins and outs of this case, but has it occurred to you that there can actually be good reason for a Co. Board turning down a request for amalgamation?

Two examples:
1 - Club A and Club B could be 30 or 40 miles apart, but Club C in the parish beside Club A is also struggling for numbers. An A+C amalgamation would be the 'correct' way of doing it, but A prefers B because B are stronger overall. County Board would be right here to turn down the A+B application and say it should be A+C instead.

2 - Club A could have 14 players in that age group, and Club B could have 12. Obviously neither can field 15 on their own, but Co. Board could feel it would be better for both clubs to try find a few new players or promote a few more from a younger age group. This way there would be 15 playing for each club, and all get to play. An amalgamation would mean that only 15 out of 26 get to play, and 11 are left on the line.

I've seen scenarios very similar to both of these occur here in Wexford, where amalgamations at underage level are common, and where some clubs have (in my opinion) 'tried it on'. Am not suggesting in any what that this is the case with the original poster's club, but am very definitely saying that you shouldn't immediately jump to a conclusion of 'let the clubs have whatever they want, or else face legal action' , when you don't know the full circumstances.

Finally, as regards your very last piece of 'advice'…..do you really think people over a hurling team in Kilkenny are going to go to maybe 11 or 12 young lads and tell them 'right lads, we're not going to hurl any more at all, we're going to join the soccer or rugby team instead'???!!!"
Very good post. But they really need to communicate with County. Amalgamations work, surely there is something fundemental missing from the narrative in this case.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4895 - 16/08/2020 21:22:32    2287802

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