Upheaval in Gortin over underage dispute

GORTIN St Patrick’s and Badoney Ladies have elected a new committee following a dispute emanating from an underage amalgamation with Glenelly.

The outgoing committee has circulated a letter explaining why it has taken the drastic decision to tender its resignation, signed by chairperson Margaret Keenan, Secretaries Conor O’Neill and Louise Mossey and Treasurer Patrick Brolly, who have all stepped down from ther positions.

The backdrop to the upheaval is the amalgamation from U14 to U18 level between Gortin and Glenelly, known as Both Domhnaigh.

Sections of the Gortin club felt that they should depart from the amalgamation model at minor level for a second successive season as they had sufficient numbers, but the committee were opposed on the grounds that Glenelly don’t have requisite numbers at minor level in 2025 and that it could potentially put their wider amalgamation model in jeopardy.

The committee statement read that “Matters have escalated to the point where in the light of what the committee considers unwarranted criticism and lack of respect, it has no option but to tender its resignation in the interests of the committee members’ safety, health and well-being.

“As with so many aspects of our great Gaelic Athletic Association, our Executive Committee is entirely voluntary; what it strives to achieve is entirely for the benefit of the association in general and our membership in particular, and is the backbone of our club and this decision has been taken with heavy hearts and great sadness.”

The statement also gave the context of the dispute.

“Last year, as an exception to the general process of amalgamation, it was agreed that the minor boys would play for their respective clubs and depart from the agreed amalgamation model for one year only, since both teams had sufficient numbers to step away.

“However this year, while Gortin has sufficient numbers to field a team, Glenelly does not. Therefore, in the interests of the existing amalgamation agreement and the future of our club, the Executive Committee decided that the boys’ minor team will play as an amalgamated team. Unfortunately, there is a group of parents who disagree with the decision and have stated that their sons wil not play in the amalgamated team of Both Domhnaigh.”

An emergency meeting convened earlier this week to appoint a new committee, where JoJo McGlone was elected as new club chairperson.