Munster hockey is today beginning to rebuild internal bridges after a row which threatened to undermine the governance of the sport in the province was dissolved in dramatic fashion last night.
Following a call for suspension of standing orders at the beginning of the AGM of the Munster Branch of the Irish Hockey Association (MBIHA), outgoing chairperson of the management committee, Helen Lynch, outlined details of a five-month row between her committee and the branch’s fixtures committee.
The row centred on a points deduction handed to UCC LHC last November over fielding ineligible players in fixtures against Bandon and Belvedere. The club successfully appealed the initial sanction by getting a five-point deduction reduced to a one-point sanction, with a small fine.
However, a protracted disagreement between the two committees, largely kept in-house over recent months, finally boiled over last night. The Munster Branch management committee walked out of the meeting en masse, with president Pat Sargent telling the attendees: “If you want us as a Munster Branch, you can come and get us.”
The crux of the issue appeared to be the fixtures committee’s uncertainty over how to apply eligibility rules in lieu of the appeal, as well as the transparency of the appeals process, with the Irish Hockey Association also brought into the row in recent weeks.
Following representations by club members and fixtures committee members over a heated hour-long impromptu debate – chaired by former branch honorary secretary Finbarr Kelleher – those present agreed unanimously on a proposal from Ashton’s Mark Stockil to review the appeals process going forward and put any disagreements to bed.
The branch management committee subsequently accepted the invitation to resume the AGM, avoiding a potential armageddon regarding the governance of the sport.
To that end, many of the original MBIHA committee members were re-elected to their positions, including Pat Sargent and Helen Lynch, though a number of crucial positions remain vacant, with a couple of those who were new to branch commitments last year (2010/11) not seeking re-election.
The honorary treasurer’s report from Barry Scannell showed that while there was a surplus of €29,000, the upcoming interprovincial competitions would alter the final figure. He also highlighted a number of outstanding affiliation fees, and recommended that a tighter system for recording finances be put in place.
Regarding the motions which came before the AGM, the majority were deferred to the relevant incoming committees, including that which generated the debate, the proposal by the outgoing fixtures committee to reduce the men’s Division One to four teams.
A minute’s silence was held for Andy Chambers with Mr Kelleher paying tribute to the Cork C of I player/coach who died in such tragic circumstances during the season, while it was also agreed that affiliation fees will be unchanged for next season.
MBIHA Committee 2011/12
President: Pat Sargent; Vice-President: Vacant; Junior Vice-President: Alice Browne; Chairperson: Helen Lynch; Vice-chairperson: Vacant; Honorary Secretary: Mary Jane Kenefick; Honorary Treasurer: Barry Scannell; PRO: Vacant.
Men’s Fixtures Secretary: Alan Wolfe; Ladies Div 1/2 Fixtures Secretary: Sarah Jones; Div 3/4: Pamela Corcoran; Div 5/6: Ursula McGarry; Children’s Officer: Nicky Stokes; Coaching Committee: Andy Gray, David Egner, Liz Raleigh (chair TBC); Development and Marketing Committee: Dawn Grace (chair), Conor O’Kelly; Clubs Committee: Liz Kerr (chair), Ivy Dennis; MHUA rep: Julie Beamish.
So this is how the management of our sport spend their (voluntary) time? Squabbling instead of concentrating on how to develop and grow the sport. Shame on those who created or propagated this stand-off.
Surely the players were ineligible and not simply unreadable Alan?!?
Also, was there any reason given for the lack of interaction between the two committee’s?
On an aside, what is the role of the coaching committee? I’ve asked a few people and no real clear answer.
Good spot eggz, that’s been changed. Sadly, attempting to write articles on a phone while the agm is ongoing leads to autocorrect errors!
Agree with Ironman.. the majority had no knowledge of the bitterness & venom between a couple of individuals on either side… should have been sorted before the AGM without washing their dirty laundry in public..
Seems like both sides were intent on creating a scene at the AGM instead of sorting things out & getting on with the task in hand of developing Munster hockey…
Particularly odd was the walk-out by the branch mgmt – they should have stayed & listened to the comments
Thought the last comment ‘from The Ditch’ says a lot.Yes, we have plenty of ‘Hurlers On The Ditch’in Munster hockey alright.Plenty to say about what should be done but never do a job themselves.Well done to both committees for sorting out the issue and moving on with hockey.I commend them.Positions still available on the Branch and sub committees if either ‘Ironman’ or ‘From The Ditch’are interested??
Firstly can I thank all the officers of the Munster branch (including Umpires Association) for all their efforts in running Munster hockey for the past season. One must remember that members of the branch give freely of their time ,expertise & experience in making the sport possible & enjoyable for so many players & spectators. I am delighted that the internal differences of the branch have now been put to bed and we can look forward to a fresh beginning next season.
To the ‘Hurlers on the Ditch’ I say , shame on you lot, always eager to criticize and don’t even have the balls to put your name to your comments.Would the ‘Hurlers on the Ditch’ not consider helping out at club or branch level and get first hand experience on what is required to run a club and indeed the Munster branch ?
Re: Hockeyfan – don’t assume people aren’t involved doing jobs just because they aren’t on the branch… Unfortunately I’m swamped – heavily involved in running things in my own club plus involved coaching local school team so no time to help on branch next yr. I reckon most of the people in the room are in similar position within their respective clubs. I was on the branch for several years both before & after the amalgamation so understand how things should work…. as highlighted above, it boiled down to some transparency issues wrt appeals process but I think it was primarily down to personality conflict between a couple of individuals. Not surprised there are so many vacancies having seen the emotions on the night.. was obviously a stressful year for any of the people on the branch, not the best advert to try & get more people involved…. was also surprised the chairperson put herself forward again after what she said in her opening comments about the stress she was under all year with this going on.. very odd scenes for people not directly involved.. all we can hope is they don’t have a re-run & get back to developing the game..
i have couple of suggestions about the mens munster hockey, but i know people will read this and will no doubt find a flaw but im guna type it anyway.
1. i have spoken to 1st team players from both c.i and harlequins, they would be willing to push to play in either leinster league or maybe to play in an all ireland league. i know were in recsession but these days travelling costs arnt as bad.
2. or maybe we do have the 4 team league and maybe try go for a round robin (play each team once) in all ireland league.
3. people then ask….how would teams qualify for the all ireland league for the next season. we could maybe leave it for our domestic cups to see who qualify’s.
4. that brings me to division 2. people are worried that c.i and quins 2nds would dominate division 2. they probly would finish 1st and 2nd but i dont think they would go unbeaten. over the last 8 years in the munster junior cup there has been many upsets over quins 2nds and c.i 2nds. take limericks win over c.i 2nds last year. i heard c.i were lucky to get to extra time. both quins 2nds and c.i 2nds both had scares in there semi finals this year. i also forgot to mention catholic institue who i think are dropping down.
5. lots of you probly dont agree with me but i think we just have to try something new if people keep giving out year in year out about munster hockey.
A couple of posters have left comments re-hashing details of the argument between the two committees. These, and any future comments along similar lines, will NOT be posted.
I have no desire to facilitate the continuation of this row here, given it was supposed to have been put to bed on Tuesday night.
The agm was weird in other ways. Never once did I see any agm with no annual accounts been given. And how does a club gets away with not paying their subs, and a big club too.
@hockeyfan & Mervyn
I, like “from the Ditch”, have served both the Branch and my club for many years. Thanks for the offer though. As “from the Ditch” pointed out, this kind of thing is not a good advertisement for trying to get people to serve on the Branch.
Look at all the youth that went into the branch at last years agm….and now look at the fact that every single one of them have opted out this year….if this is what personality conflicts do for our sport, old people should move over and let the new people in, in full. Fresh blood to rebuild what appears to be a deteriorating Branch.
Sarah Gray, Maria Twomey, David Egner, Kay Gaffney to name but a few who have stepped away from positions due to this conflict.
An appeals procedure needs to be put in writing and the Branch management should have met with the fixtures, this probably would have avoided this whole saga in the first place. I bet their all wishing they had now and this would not have had to have gone public at the agm and kept between themselves.
Tis a shame to see the youth stepping away from the branch, it is them who will be running it when we’re not here.
I would like to highlight the fantastic contribution made to Munster Hockey by Finbarr Kelleher. His dedication to our sport has been second to none and it is a great shame that there are not more like him putting themselves forward. He epitomises the spirit in which hockey should be run and has served Munster brilliantly during his long tenure on the branch. Fair play to him and I hope we will see him on the branch again in the near future.
On another note, I sincerely hope the branch can fill the places left vacant this season. As a hockey community in Munster, we desperately need the volunteers on the branch to be supported at every level, from youths to interpros, from umpiring to schools. I hope we can move away from criticism of those that give up their time to help hockey, especially criticism from those who have never volunteered at branch level and have no idea what it takes to make the organisation work. Why don’t they pick up a stick and coach the 16s or the 18s or sit on a committee or two. You’ll notice many of those on the branch also are involved in clubs and they still volunteer their time. It’s time to move on and pitch in.
On the subject of the state of mens hockey in Munster , the answer has to be in the proper development of the game at youth level . We need better structures , acadamies, incentives etc to get young lads motivated and not be ashamed to say they play hockey to their peers as is the case here in Limerick
My son aged 12 is retiring from hockey this year after 5 years playing the game , he is going to secondary and can’t do every sport so he will be concentrating on rugby & hurling. Why ? not because he hasn’t been well coached here in Limerick ( and to be honest he has the most potential in hockey ) but because the other sports are hungrier, provide more competition , recognition and role models . It is very competitive here in Limerick for the sporting hearts & minds of young people and hockey is not on the radar at all , if the IHU want to expand their playing base or even hold on to boys like my son who have a hockey playing family tradition they need to get their act together soon or hockey will fade away outside cork.
To be honest I can’t blame the 2 clubs for wanting to join the Leinster League or for that matter the proposal for a 4 team premier league , but where does leave the rest of the province going forward.I appreciate it all comes down to voluntary input ( girls hockey in Limerick with Institute & Crescent comp winning almost everything this year shows what can be done) I appreciate that there is not the same numbers in boys hockey but we need at least to hold to those which we have !