National Forum

Fermanagh Division 1 League Final Abandoned

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Here are statements from the clubs and county boards to give you all an insight
In response to recent Facebook posts from Derrygonnelly Harps GAA & Fermanagh GAA please see below a statement issued from Ederney St Joseph's GAC
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Ederney St Joseph's GAC Statement
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We, as a club, are deeply disappointed by the decision made by Derrygonnelly Harps on Friday 12th October to not field a team for the Division 1 League Final fixture on Sunday 14th October.

It is our duty to put the interest of our club first and we made it very clear, early in the week, to both Derrygonnelly Harps and CCC, that rescheduling to a date after the 14th October was not in our best interests. Bringing the game forward to Friday 12th October, as requested, was not an option due to player unavailability. As a compromise, we offered to play on Saturday 13th October, thereby allowing Derrygonnelly Harps an additional days rest but this offer was firmly rejected.

Both clubs have been aware of this fixture since March, yet we only received verbal notification on Friday the 12th and official written notification that the game was off on Saturday 13th October. The fact that this course of action was taken so late in the day is hugely disappointing for our club and has caused inconvenience for both our supporters and our players, some of whom had booked flights and made other work and travel arrangements to accommodate and honour this weekend's fixture.

We fully understand four games in four weeks is a heavy schedule for Derrygonnelly Harps but fixture congestion at this time of year between league and club provincial games occurs nationwide and is nothing new. We could name countless examples of league games being played within even shorter timeframes prior to club provincial championship dates and following a run of weekly games. The predetermined league fixtures are respected and games are played despite the clubs' understandable reluctance.

The crux of our argument is that no club is above the rules and if a club decides two days before a league final to refuse to field then CCC should make the club abundantly clear of the ramifications of their decision according to rule. What precedent does this set for the future if all clubs applied the same mindset when this course of action is allowed to be indulged?

This has now become a point of principle for our club and we expect CCC to abide by their own rules. However, we wish to make it clear that after much consultation with our team management, players, executive committee and members that, in our view, the 2018 Division 1 League is now over and the competition has been totally devalued.

We wish Derrygonnelly Harps every success in the Ulster club championship.

Eadarnaigh Naomh Seosamh CLG

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The club shall be making no further comments on this matter and kindly ask other patrons to refrain from making any comments below.

Allaboutclub (Fermanagh) - Posts: 76 - 15/10/2018 22:43:44    2146712

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Derrygonnelly Harps statement
After a lot of consideration, and contact with the CCC, we have decided that we are not travelling to Tempo on Sunday for the league final. We wouldn't be giving ourselves a chance to prepare properly for the Ulster Club Championship by playing. We had to consider time needed to prepare for an Ulster Championship game and the fact that if we were to play the League final, the Ulster game would then be our fourth tough game in four weeks.

We did ask for a postponement, and we did commit in writing to a cast iron date when we were willing to play the game but this was not acceptable to our opponents.

This has been a difficult one for us. It was a decision taken after consultation involving players, team management and club committee members. We appreciate that some people will be disappointed and we are sorry that they feel this way.

Derrygonnelly Harps.

Allaboutclub (Fermanagh) - Posts: 76 - 16/10/2018 12:39:25    2146778

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Statement from Fermanagh CCC:

"The Manor House Senior Football League Division 1 Final between Derrygonnelly Harps & Ederney St Joseph's will not be played this Sunday, following the receipt of correspondence from the Derrygonnelly Harps club.

"As a committee, we are disappointed at this outcome and we will meet to consider this correspondence. However, we appreciate the positions of both clubs on this matter.

"Despite our best efforts, we have been unable to secure an agreement between the two clubs involved on an alternative time to play this important game."

Allaboutclub (Fermanagh) - Posts: 76 - 16/10/2018 12:40:16    2146779

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One team basically conceded a walkover, not a difficult decision to make, CCC is at fault for not being decisive

890202 (Wexford) - Posts: 1278 - 17/10/2018 09:17:44    2146919

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Replying To 890202:  "One team basically conceded a walkover, not a difficult decision to make, CCC is at fault for not being decisive"
I would agree. What way do you think the CCC should go around it for next year?

Allaboutclub (Fermanagh) - Posts: 76 - 17/10/2018 10:47:54    2146937

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the title of this thread is incorrect. The game was not abandoned , it has been cancelled. It should be awarded to St Joseph's.

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5518 - 17/10/2018 11:32:36    2146941

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Replying To Allaboutclub:  "I would agree. What way do you think the CCC should go around it for next year?"
Finish the league before you start the championship. Doesn't take a genius to work it out.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 17/10/2018 11:50:40    2146945

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Replying To gotmilk:  "Finish the league before you start the championship. Doesn't take a genius to work it out."
That would means teams would have to play constant double weekends. This would cause alot of player Fatigue and injuries which would not help clubs which already struggle with numbers

Allaboutclub (Fermanagh) - Posts: 76 - 17/10/2018 12:19:51    2146955

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Ironic that this should happen in Fermanagh as they have one of the best fixture set ups. All teams play 18 league games starting in April, with then a semi-final and final. Championship starts in early August and finishes late September. Every club gets a minimum of 20 games, max of 24. Yet still there are complaints.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 17/10/2018 12:47:36    2146963

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Replying To Allaboutclub:  "That would means teams would have to play constant double weekends. This would cause alot of player Fatigue and injuries which would not help clubs which already struggle with numbers"
No it wouldn't. Look at the gaps between championship weekends fixtures. Three weeks from the semi final to the final? Why could that gap not be two weeks? The postponement of the semi finals till after the league killed the momentum of sides like Belcoo and Roslea. It's ludicrous to play championship in the middle of the league.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 17/10/2018 15:03:23    2146984

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why have ederney not been awarded the title? Derrygonnelly refused to travel so its a walkover......
having said that i do have sympathy for Derrygonnelly. its a crap situation to be in and they obviously see an opportunity of an ulster title perhaps!!!! there's an argument that as senior champions they should be treated with respect on their future ulster endeavours.

theweanling (Cavan) - Posts: 414 - 17/10/2018 15:34:02    2146989

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Replying To theweanling:  "why have ederney not been awarded the title? Derrygonnelly refused to travel so its a walkover......
having said that i do have sympathy for Derrygonnelly. its a crap situation to be in and they obviously see an opportunity of an ulster title perhaps!!!! there's an argument that as senior champions they should be treated with respect on their future ulster endeavours."
I can see both sides of the argument. Derrygonnelly won every game in the league so should naturally be awarded the title but the date for the final has been set for months. The county board are at fault here in my eyes.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 17/10/2018 16:10:17    2146993

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Replying To gotmilk:  "I can see both sides of the argument. Derrygonnelly won every game in the league so should naturally be awarded the title but the date for the final has been set for months. The county board are at fault here in my eyes."
Why is the league not finished before the championship?

lilywhite1 (Kildare) - Posts: 2991 - 17/10/2018 18:16:45    2147007

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I think that if a team of young men on a winning streak can't play four games in four weeks then that says a lot about them. When you think of teams like Slaughtneil and all their dual players and the schedule they had to keep over the past few years, it really puts into perspective how fragile Derrygonnelly would appear to be.

They are by far the strongest team in Fermanagh and would have won that game easily enough, but instead of winning a league final they want it postponed because they want more time to prepare. I say they should suck it up and get on with it.

Its their loss, because that same weak mentality and lack of character will stop their championship run in the end anyway.

Steve (Fermanagh) - Posts: 293 - 17/10/2018 20:30:02    2147018

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A lot of you saying should the league not be finished before the championship starts . Ik think that's mad . Is it like that in .ist counties ? In monaghan we run both together . You have championship weekends and league weekends. In my opinion it works good . Could be tweeted as most things could but I'd rather it this way than run off one competition then start another .

farneygael (Monaghan) - Posts: 277 - 17/10/2018 21:01:02    2147024

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Replying To farneygael:  "A lot of you saying should the league not be finished before the championship starts . Ik think that's mad . Is it like that in .ist counties ? In monaghan we run both together . You have championship weekends and league weekends. In my opinion it works good . Could be tweeted as most things could but I'd rather it this way than run off one competition then start another ."
Fixture makers have to perform miracles. Knock-out championship has to be played during the best months of the year, lads have to get lots of games across the season, and league has to be finished before championship starts!

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 17/10/2018 22:50:26    2147043

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There's always the dread of injury. You'd have thought Ederney would have been wishing Derrygonnelly well in the Ulster club and play the game some other time.

essmac (Tyrone) - Posts: 1141 - 18/10/2018 07:04:13    2147057

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Replying To essmac:  "There's always the dread of injury. You'd have thought Ederney would have been wishing Derrygonnelly well in the Ulster club and play the game some other time."
The game would have been Played 4 weeks later or potentially six. How can expected guys with families and work commitments to extend there season by so much?

Allaboutclub (Fermanagh) - Posts: 76 - 18/10/2018 10:23:16    2147073

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Replying To Soma:  "Fixture makers have to perform miracles. Knock-out championship has to be played during the best months of the year, lads have to get lots of games across the season, and league has to be finished before championship starts!"
So your saying play out the league first then run the championship in the good summer months ?? Spring and early summer would be mad with fixtures I'd imagine .
A league and championship run together with good structure works.
In your way if doin it the league is over early and if your club is knocked out of the championship in the first round your years football is over by the start of the summer . Mad no??

farneygael (Monaghan) - Posts: 277 - 18/10/2018 11:02:19    2147083

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Replying To Soma:  "Fixture makers have to perform miracles. Knock-out championship has to be played during the best months of the year, lads have to get lots of games across the season, and league has to be finished before championship starts!"
So your saying play out the league first then run the championship in the good summer months ?? Spring and early summer would be mad with fixtures I'd imagine .
A league and championship run together with good structure works.
In your way if doin it the league is over early and if your club is knocked out of the championship in the first round your years football is over by the start of the summer . Mad no??

farneygael (Monaghan) - Posts: 277 - 18/10/2018 11:02:27    2147084

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