Club Competition Motions carried at recent meeting

The following are the 3 main motions relating to the recently approved Club competition structures for 2007

[b]Motion 1[/b]
Coiste Chontae Liatroma Leagues shall be organised from 2007 forward, as follows:
Division 1 12 Teams
Division 2 10 Teams
Division 3 10 Teams
Division 4 12 Teams
Division 5 12 Teams

The constitution of the above Divisions shall be based on the finishing positions at the conclusion of the 2006 League/Shields in the case of Divisions 1, 2, and 3 and in the case of Divisions 4 and 5, at the conclusion of the 2006 Leagues.

League Competition to be played on a single round basis with the two highest placed teams, at the conclusion of the respective series of games to be promoted and to contest the League Final in each Division and to be replaced by the two lowest placed teams in each respective higher Division, as the case may be.

In the event of a team being due to be relegated into a division in which the club already has a team, the team in the lower division shall be automatically relegated to the next lowest level, and follow on accordingly if the club has teams in the next immediate divisions. In this case only one other team i.e. bottom placed team will be relegated from the relevant division.

In the event of a team being due to be promoted into a division in which the club already has a team, in this case there will only be one promoted team i.e. the other league finalist and also, in this case, there will be only one team relegated from the higher division i.e. the lowest placed team.

In the event of a team being due to be relegated from Division 4 to Division 5 and the club already has a team in Division 5, the club?s Division 4 team will not be relegated.

A Shield Competition shall be organised during the playing season as follows:
Shield A 12 Teams 2 Groups of 6 Teams each
Shield B 10 Teams 2 Groups of 5 Teams each
Shield C 10 Teams 2 Groups of 5 Teams each

The Shield Competitions A and B shall include the 22 first teams eligible to take part in the 2007 Leagues in Divisions 1, 2 and 3 and from 2008 forward those similarly eligible. Shield and Group placement shall be by open draw
Shield C shall contain the remaining second string teams from 2007 Divisions 2 and 3 and Group placement shall be by open draw, the same criteria to be used from 2008 forward.
The above Shield Competitions shall be played on a single round basis with the top team in each group qualifying for the Shield Finals.

Players on the Leitrim Senior Panel shall be ineligible to play in the Shield Competition and clubs with more than one team in the competition will be required to adjust their 2007 First/Second 13 nominated players to reflect the fact that current members of the Leitrim Senior Football panel will not be eligible to play in the Shield Competitions, a similar criteria to be implemented from 2008 forward.

The Leitrim Senior Team Management shall nominate a list of players before the commencement of the Shield Competitions, who shall remain ineligible to play in said shields. Leitrim Senior Team Management shall nominate a revised list of players, if necessary, in advance of the Connacht Championship, who shall be similarly ineligible. A Club?s Shield First 13 may be adjusted accordingly at this stage to reflect changes in the Leitrim Senior panel only.

The Shield Competitions shall be organised by CCC Liatroma in a manner as to ensure that Shield Finals be completed before the commencement of Club Championships 2007, and from 2008 forward the same criteria shall apply.

Relevant existing Coiste Chontae Liatroma Competition Regulations to be amended accordingly and Relevant Competition Regulations as per TO 2007 shall automatically apply.

[b]Motion 2[/b]
From 2007 forward the Senior, Intermediate and Junior A Championships shall be organised as follows:

Eligible Teams
SFC – 12 Teams as eligible on the basis of 2006 results.
IFC – 12 Teams as eligible on the basis of 2006 results.
JFCA – 12 Teams as eligible on the basis of 2006 results
JFCB – 11 Teams as eligible on the basis of 2006 results
JFCC – 11 Teams as eligible on the basis of 2006 results

Organisation of Groups
SFC – 4 Groups of 3 teams each to be played on league basis
IFC – 4 Groups of 3 teams each to be played on league basis
JFCA – 4 Groups of 3 teams each to be played on league basis
JFCB – 1 Group of 6 and 1 Group of 5 to be played on league basis
JFCC – 1 Group of 6 and 1 Group of 5 to be played on league basis

Progression:
SFC/IFC/JFCA
The two highest place teams in each group to qualify for the Quarter Finals
JFCB/C
The two highest place teams in each group to qualify for the Semi-Finals

Promotion
Each Championship Winner shall be promoted to the next highest grade for 2008.
Exception: A team which wins a championship and already has a team in the grade to which it is to be promoted cannot be promoted, in which case there will be no relegation from the higher competition.

Relegation
Lowest placed team in each group of SFC shall play relegation semi-finals and losing semi-finalists shall play relegation final, losing team to be relegated to IFC.
Lowest placed team in each group of IFC shall play relegation semi-finals and losing semi-finalists shall play relegation final, losing team to be relegated to JFCA.
Lowest placed team in each group of JFCA shall play relegation semi-finals and losing semi-finalists shall play relegation final, losing team to be relegated to JFCB.
Lowest placed team in each group of JFCB shall be automatically relegated in 2007. From 2008 forward the lowest placed team in each group shall playoff to decide relegation.

If a club has a team in a championship into which it is due to have a team relegated from a higher grade, the lower team shall be automatically relegated to the next lowest grade and follow on accordingly if the club has other teams in the next immediate grades. In this case there shall be no relegation of any other team from that particular grade of championship.

In the event of a team being due to be relegated from JBFC to JCFC and the club already has a team in JCFC, their JBFC team shall not be relegated.

Exception:
From 2007 forward a team which fails to participate in any grade of championship shall be automatically relegated to the next lowest grade of championship in the following year, in which case there will be no playoffs to decide relegation in that particular year.

Note
From 2007 forward there shall be no SFC B or IFC B Competition organised.

Relevant existing Coiste Chontae Liatroma Competition Regulations to be amended accordingly and Relevant Competition Regulations as per TO 2007 shall automatically apply.

[b]Motion 3[/b]
The Competitions Control Committee shall have the facility afforded to it to formulate motions on Competition Structures to the Comhdhail Bhliantuil Liatroma at the end of its term.

 

 

08-Feb-07 by Brendan Doyle – PRO

Leitrim GAA Crest was unveiled on Wednesday eve

The location was the Bush Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon – The time was 7:00pm , and the event was the unveiling of the new Leitrim GAA Crest by Sean Osuileabh?in who was the main force behind the crest design.

SeanÓgave us a little history on the crests associated with Leitrim GAA over the years. The first crest used was that of the O Rourkes of Breifne which was replaced by the County Council crest about 1993/94. In the mean time there was another crest used by the media and this crest had a row of circles across the top and 3 wavy lines down through the centre of the shield styled edge.

Our new crest is the result of various submissions from the public and the new version is based on an idea by Adrian Smith (current Chairman of Sean O Heslins). Adrian has the skills to produce a computerised version that was worked on by himself and Sean. The map of our county is distinctive and was a must in the overall design. Glencar waterfall is used as a landmark representative of the north of the county while Sheemore represents the south. The GAA symbols of a football and hurley are used as is the fiddle which represents Scór.

The whole crest is encircled with a celtic rope and the name Liatroma is along the top in celtic font. The colours of green, yellow, white and a little blue are used throughout.

Many thanks to Adrian and Sean on producing a fine crest that will come to mean so much to followers of Leitrim GAA.

The new crest is registered and Leitrim GAA hold the exclusive copyright to the crest. The players and management will be presented with new training gear incorporating the new crest in the coming weeks. It will appear for the first time in competition on new style jerseys which will be worn for the Championship.

 

 

08-Feb-07 by Brendan Doyle – PRO

New Competition and Change Of Old for 2007

Last nights County Board Meeting was very well attended as one of the main items on the agenda was the structure of the Club Competitions for 2007. At the previous meeting the structures committee were asked to evaluate the current set-up and their findings and suggestions were returned to the club secretaries over the last few weeks. This work was then put forward as 3 different motions to the club delegates last night. All 3 motions were carried by a very large majority.

In Summary:
Motion 1 – In summary this motion recommended the removal of the Tier 2 of the League. In its place would be the new Shield competitions which would be played by all clubs during the summer months. County players would not participate as they would be involved in intercounty competitions. An interesting change is that the Shields will be divided into 3 with all 1st Teams from Div 1,2 & 3 being divided up and playing in 2 of the Shields with remaining 2nd Teams from 2007 Division 2 & 3 making up the 3rd Shield.

Motion 2 – In summary it was recommended that in the Championship that Junior B and C grades would be played on a League basis similar to Senior, Intermediate and Junior A. From 2007 forward there would be no Senior B or Intermediate B competition. Another important addition was with regard to walkovers where by any team that failed to participate in any grade of championship would automatically be relegated to the next lowest grade of championship in the following year, in which case there would be no playoffs to decide relegation in that particular year.

Motion 3 – The new CCC (Competitions Control Committee) would have the facility to formulate motions on Competition structures without the need to having to wait until the next year.

Other items reports, and motions were dealt with at the meeting as it was a very full 25 item agenda.

 

 

06-Feb-07 by Brendan Doyle – PRO

Leitrim open NFL campaign with a win

Allianz NFL Div 2A

Leitrim 0?12
Offaly 0-11

Leitrim scored a surprise and fully merited win over Offaly in Cloone on Sunday with a Shane Foley point two minutes from the end of an exciting encounter.

Leinster finalists, Offaly struggled in the first half with Leitrim taking a four points lead by the twenty-third minute.

Leitrim continued to hold the upper hand and went in still leading by three points at the interval.

Offaly won a free deep in injury time and had a chance to force a draw but Niall McNamee?s effort from sixty yards drifted wide.

Matters were evenly matched in the opening twelve minutes with Leitrim?s Ciaran Kennedy and Offaly?s Ciaran McManus swapping points from play at opposite ends.

But Leitrim edged into a two point lead in the next nine minutes when Ciaran Duignan and Fintan McBrien shot points apiece.

However a Niall McNamee converted free brought Offaly right back into contention by the nineteenth minute.

It seemed as if Offaly would claim a share of the spoils when McNamee levelled maters with two points on the trot in the sixty-fourth and sixty-fifth minutes.

However before the finish of this knife edge contest, Leitrim rallied and put together a well worked move, which left half back Shane Foley finished off in a clinical manner.

Leitrim: N. Gill, B. McWeeney, J. McKeon, D. Reynolds, C. Kennedy 0 ? 2, B. Prior, S. Foley 0 ? 1, M. Duignan, G. McCloskey, C. Regan, M. Foley 0 ? 2, B. Brennan, F. McBrien 0 ? 2, C. Duignan 0 ? 5, J. Glancy. Subs D. Beck for Brennan (49m.), D. Brennan for McBrien (60m.), S. Canning for McCloskey (68m.)

Offaly: K. Meehan, G. Rafferty, J. Quinn, N. Grennan, K. Slattery, S. Sullivan, E. Byrne, C. McManus 0 ? 1, K. Hogan, S. Brady, P. J. Ward 0 ? 1, A. McNamee, T. Deehan, N. Coughlan, N. McNamee 0 ? 8. Subs S. Ryan 0 ? 1 for Hogan (27m.), P. McConway for Byrne (32m.), K. Casey for Deehan (45m.), J. Coughlan for Ward (51m.), J. Reynolds for Brady (57m.)

Referee: M. Sludden (Tyrone)


Photos (207 of them !) now available inÓgallery – thanks to James Molloy
This report – courtesy of PJ Leddy

 

 

04-Feb-07 by PJ Leddy

Drumkeerin take 2006 U21 B Title

The 2006 U21 B Title was won by Drumkeerin by 4 points on a scoreline of Drumkeerin 1-09 Carrigallen 0-08

 

 

03-Feb-07 by Brendan Doyle – PRO

Allianz NFL – What lies ahead

All divisions of the the 2007 Allianz National Football League will be played off as per previous years over the next two months. The 2008 season will take a different format and will be based on four Divisions which will be decided by final placings in 2007.

New Division 1 will be comprised of the top four in this years Division 1a and 1b.

Division 2 will feature the counties who finish 5th and 6th in 1a and 1b plus the two teams promoted from Division 2a and 2b.

Dision 3 will be made up of the four teams relegated from Division 1a and b plus the four who finsih 3rd and 4th in Division 2a and 2b.

Division 4 will be comprised of the four teams who finish in the bottom of this years division 2a and 2b.

Note: Counties who will be in this division 4 will not be allowed compete in the All Ireland Qualifiers this summer and must participate in the Tommy Murphy cup instead.

 

 

03-Feb-07 by Brendan Doyle – PRO

Leitrim Senior Team to play Offaly

The following is the lineout of the Senior team to play Offaly this Sunday at 2:30pm in Cloone in the 1st round of the Allianz National League.

1. Noel Gill – Cill Tiobraid
2. Barry McWeeney – Acadh na Sileann
3. John McKeon – Droim Raghallaigh
4. Dermot Reynolds – Naomh Muire
5. Ciaran Kennedy – Maothail
6. Barry Prior – Acadh Mhaolainn
7. Shane Foley – Cill Tiobraid
8. Michael Duignan – Barr na C?ille
9. Gary McCloskey – Barr na C?ille
10. Colin Regan – Gaeil na Meilge
11. Michael Foley – Droim Caorthainn
12. Brendan Brennnan – Gaeil na Meilge
13. Fintan McBrian – Acadh Easa
14. Ciaran Duignan – Fiodhnach-Naomh Cail?n
15. James Glancy – Gleann an Chairthe Cluain?n

16. Conor Daly – Naomh Muire
17. Fabian McMorrow – Gaeil na Meilge
18. James Glancy – Naomh Muire
19. David McHugh – Eanach Dubh
20. Daniel Beck – Maothail
21. Donal Brennan – Cluain
22. Colm Farrell – Barr na C?ille
23. Sean Murray – Sean Ui Heislin
24. Philip McGuinness – Maothail
25. Colm Guckian – Gaeil na hAilne
26. Adrian O Flynn – Gleann an Chairthe Cluain?n
27. Clifford Richardson – Carraig Alainn
28. Shane Canning – Maothail
29. Pat Gilmartin – Gleann an Chairthe Cluain?n
30. Michael McGuinness – Maothail

 

 

02-Feb-07 by Brendan Doyle – PRO

Structure of Club Competitions for 2007

If you are a club player or are interested in the structure of the club competitions for 2007 then the following notice applies to you !

The structure of Club Competitions for 2007 will be decided upon at the County Board meeting in Drumshanbo VS on Monday night next. This is a very important meeting with various motions, including one from the Structures committee, which will be discussed and voted on by club delegates. All club secretaries will have received a copy of the motions recently and all club players and club members should be fully aware of the various motions proposed.

You are asked to be fully informed and to ensure that your club delegates are present on the night to vote in accordance with the wishes of your club.

 

 

01-Feb-07 by Brendan Doyle – PRO

U21 B – Final – Confirmed

The U21 B final between Carrigallen and Drumkeerin will take place this Saturday at 2pm in Aughnasheelin.

 

 

30-Jan-07 by Brendan Doyle – PRO

Glencar Manorhamilton take 2006 Division 2 Title

Carrigallen were pipped at the post by in their pursuit of a double title succes as they were beaten by one point in the 2006 Division 2 Final played in Annaduff on Saturday. The low Scóring game went to extra time and it was the eventual winners Glencar Manorhamilton who held out to take the cup and title. The final result was:
Glencar Manorhamilton 0-06 Carrigallen 0-05.

All the results for the leagues in 2006 are available on the archive section (bottom of the left hand menu).

 

 

29-Jan-07 by Brendan Doyle – PRO

Up Coming Coaching Events

Hurling Workshop
Due to the unavailability of a floodlit playing pitch our Hurling Workshop planned for Thursday next the 01/02/2007 with Paudi Butler and Damien Coleman has had to be postponed until 02/04/07. Instead Paudi and Damien will give an indoor demonstration in Manorhamilton on Thursday night next at 7pm. It will take place in St.Clares Comprehensive School and all Coaches and Teachers are welcome. TG4 will film the demonstration for a future documentary.

Connacht GAA Provincial Coaching Conference
On Saturday 10th February in the Mc William Park Hotel, Claremorris, the first Connacht Coaching Conference will take place. Key note speakers at this conference will be Professor Tom Reilly and Professor Niall Moyna, while the workshops will be given by Pat Flanagan, trainer of the All-Ireland winning Kerry team. Michael Mc Geehan, Paudi Butler, Fiona O Driscoll and Damien Young. Clubs and Coaches are asked to pre book and applications forms and details can be got from Thomas Keenan 086-8058509.

Completed forms should be returned to Thomas Keenan or direct to Connacht Council Office, Clare st., Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo. A fee of ? 25 per person applies which Includes Lunch.

Core Stability Workshop
On Monday night 12/02/07 Mr. Des Ryan will present a practical workshop on Core Stability. This workshop will demonstrate how to develop core strength which is a much neglected area in the development of our club players. Des Ryan is the current strength trainer to the Connacht Rugby team and the Galway football team.

Primary School Coaching
All primary Schools should note that School Coaching will recommence on Monday 26/02/07. We will be in touch with all Schools over the next few weeks to outline exact details.

Foundation Level Course
A foundation level course will be run towards the end of the month. Venue as yet to be decided, so all clubs wishing to have their coaches qualified should contact Thomas Keenan 087 6591049, so as the most suitable venue can be arranged.

Fitness Testing Workshop
A practical workshop on Fitness testing for club players will be given by John Tobin on Tuesday 27/02/07. Full details in next weeks news.

Get well wishes
Everybody involved in Coaching would like to wish Barry Heslin, from Gortletteragh a speedy recovery following a recent accident. Barrys mother Peig is our School coach in Gortletteragh, Rossan, Drumnamore, Cloone and the Hunt N.S Mohill.

 

 

29-Jan-07 by Brendan Doyle – PRO

Passing of Famous GAA Player Noel Flynn

On Wednesday last Noel Flynn passed away in the Mater Private Hospital at the early age of 62. Noel Flynn held a unique record in the annals of Leitrim football, he was the only Leitrim man ever to win nine Leitrim Senior Football Championship medals.

Noel began his football with Ballinamore Sean O?Heslins at a time when his native Aughawillan didn?t field in underage competitions. In the early 1960s Ballinamore had a great Minor team and Noel was part of it. He won two Minor Championships with Sean O?Heslins. Very shortly he was on the senior team during a golden era for O?Heslins. He was on the Senior Championship winning teams in the finals of 1964,1967,1968 and 1969 and was a sub on the teams of 1972, 1973 and 1975. He came on during the course of the latter two finals. Noel thus won seven senior championship medals with Ballinamore.

Aughawillan had no football club from 1964 until it was reorganized in 1971. Noel rejoined Aughawillan at the beginning of 1976 just in time for Aughawillan?s historic first ever senior championship. The highlight of Noel?s football career came in 1978 when he captained Aughawillan to their second success and in the process won a historic ninth senior championship medal, a record that it is unlikely will ever be equaled.

Noel played with many of the great Sean O?Heslin?s players such as Thomas Galligan, Paddy Dolan, Dermot Gannon, Se?n Creamer etc and he also played with many of the great Aughawillan players like Mickey Quinn, Frank Smith, Pat Flanagan and of course Patsy Prior who fielded with Noel through most of Ballinamore?s victories in the 60s and 70s as well.

After his playing days were over Noel was involved with the Aughawillan club at different levels and was Chairman of the club for a period. He also did refereeing for a time. In later years he was a regular member of Aughawillan Ballad Groups in Scór and was on a group that won a Scór County title in 1998.

Noel was involved in a variety of community activities and was a member of the Suaimhneas choir group. To his wife Gabrielle, sons Patrick, Richard and Edward and his sister Maighr?ad, we extend our sympathy. Go nd?ana Dia tr?caire ar cheann des na peilead?ir? ba mh? c?il riamh i gContae Liatroma.

 

 

26-Jan-07 by Sean O S.