Duffy reflects on replays and rule changes in annual report
Director General of the GAA Paraic Duffy released his annual report for 2014 in Croke Park today.
The DG’s report discussed some of the most controversial moments in the GAA last year - including the football
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On the Gaelic Grounds match Duffy wrote: “The decision to fix the Kerry v Mayo All-Ireland football semi-final replay for Limerick, due to the nonavailability of Croke Park because of the Penn State/UCF American football game, was greeted with indignation by many supporters – and especially by supporters of Mayo - and embroiled the Association in a major controversy.”
He went on to admit that the GAA had banked on there being no need for a replay when scheduling the American Football match and admitted this had “backfired”. However he went on to strongly defend the Association’s decision to host the match in Croke Park, and insisted the money generated was necessary to find the GAA’s ongoing projects.
“Delegates will see that the demands on our funds are enormous,” he wrote. “To take just two current projects: the Casement Park redevelopment will cost the GAA £15m sterling, and the redevelopment of Páirc Uí Chaoimh will cost Central Council in the region of €20m. The list goes on, extending into games development, player welfare, and the development of club and county grounds.
“It is a financial fact of life for the Association that it must put Croke Park to use in the necessity to increase our funding base. I utterly refute the claim that the American football game was part of a simple money-making exercise for the sake of pure financial gain. We simply don’t think that way; we think only in terms of generating income that will go back out to our clubs and counties.”
Duffy also praised the hosting of the replay by Limerick while acknowledging the upset caused to some supporters.
“Limerick County Committee and Munster Council did an outstanding job in hosting the replay, the atmosphere in Limerick and during the game was wonderful, and many, indeed, were converted to the cause of the staging a semifinal replay outside of Dublin. For the future, we should not allow this controversy to restrict our efforts to stage big events in Croke Park, including American football games. For our part, we have been reminded that certain traditions are very dear to our supporters.”
Duffy also discussed the changing rules on penalties in hurling, saying that earlier in the year: “Central Council decided at its meeting of March 22, on the advice of Coiste Bainistí, to take no immediate action (on penalties).
“However, an incident in the
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“It was the view of the Association’s legal advisors that if a player were seriously injured through the striking of a penalty puck close to goal, or through the penalty-taker being confronted by (a) charging defender(s), a claim would likely be brought against the relevant units of the Association, including Central Council. Coiste Bainistí decided that urgent action was necessary and recommended a number of Interpretations of Rule to Central Council to address these safety concerns.”
Duffy said that the rule changes had addressed player safety, but created other issues and acknowledged the association had work still to do to resolve the situation, saying: “the task now is to reach a consensus on a solution.”
He also discussed the Garth Brooks debacle, black card implementation and the future of the International Rules.You can read the full report here.
