McDaid: ‘We can’t be crying about the inequality in the provinces next year’

A leading Donegal GAA coach and commentator has branded the weekend decision by Congress to reject a League/Championship format for next year’s All-Ireland Championship as “real kick in the teeth” to the grassroots.

Special Congress voted not to adopt the league-based All-Ireland football championship known as Proposal B. Proposal B won by 85 votes to 82 but fell well short of the required 60 per cent majority that would have been needed to get it passed.

Glenswilly club man Gary McDaid said Donegal had been giving out for years about how easy it was for Dublin, Kerry, Mayo and Galway to get to the All-Ireland Quarter-Finals.

“We had a chance to change that on Saturday, but we didn’t do it,” he told Donegal Live.

McDaid also wondered why Donegal GAA did not consult with all of the clubs to get what he termed a democratic mandate which would then instruct the county delegates on what way to vote in Congress.

He added that the voting system at Congress was highly unsatisfactory and called for a card system of voting to replace the current somewhat controversial secret ballot.

“I am really disappointed at the outcome and feel really sorry for the players and managers and coaches and supporters who were hoping for change,” he said. “The whole vibe coming into Congress was change and President Larry McCarthy gave a lead on this, and change was wanted on the ground and it is just a real kick in the teeth.

“Proposal B got the majority vote as a positive but some of the interviews leading up to it from Ulster and Leinster Council officials left a lot to be desired.

“For so long in Donegal we hear the story year after year that Dublin, Kerry Galway and Mayo have an easy route to the quarter-final. Donegal had a chance on Saturday to change that and we didn’t change it for the reason to protect the Ulster Championship. Fair enough the Ulster Championship which is very competitive will still be there and it would be a bit diluted, but is strong enough to survive.

“But we can’t be crying again about the inequality in the provinces next year as we did not take the chance to change it. But what is probably the most disappointing thing is that the grassroots is supposed to have a say in what happens in Congress.

“Every club should have been contacted in Donegal to have a say in what happens but that too did not happen. And it is not as if they have not known about this Congress as it was well flagged for quite some time.

“Interestingly when Down put the matter to the clubs the clubs were in favour of Option B. But it should have been put to the clubs around the country to get their views and not just in Donegal.

“Then it goes to County Committee, and they can have a vote and then tell the delegates what way to vote. On Thursday it was decided at a Donegal Executive meeting not to support Option B and that is not the way to do things in my opinion.

“Congress was always supposed to reflect the views of the ordinary GAA member and that was not done. I know that some clubs were consulted in Donegal but there is a standard procedure on how to do these things and that was not followed.

“Yes, it does need tweaking, but it is a much better option than what we are left with now.”

County Chairman Mick McGrath declined to comment.