Connacht GAA appeals' decision could leave Leitrim without Provincial Minor A representative

Leitrim may be without representatives in this year's Connacht Minor A Club Championship A after a decision from the Connacht GAA Council on the underage competition regulations, used to separate teams tied on points, means that playoffs must now take place in the Westlink U17 Division 1 and Barna Recycling U13 Division 1 Championships.

The Observer understands that Saturday's U17 Semi-Final between League champions St Mary's Kiltoghert and Mohill has been put on hold after Glencar Manorhamilton lodged an appeal to the procedure used to separate teams who finish level on points. Mohill finished level on six points with Glencar Manorhamilton but took the final semi-final spot due to a head to head victory over the north Leitrim men.

However, on foot of a successful application to Connacht earlier this week from Allen Gaels after their U13 team also missed out on a semi-final place based on competition regulations, Glencar Manorhamilton have lodged an objection meaning Saturday's clash between Mohill and St Mary's cannot go ahead.

It is believed that Allen Gaels' successful appeal was in relation to the regulations governing 'head to head' results separating teams level on points and the fact that these regulations were not formally passed at a County Board meeting. In lieu of that regulation, playoffs are used at underage level to decide placings when teams are level on points, as per the GAA Official Guide.

With the Minor A Final originally scheduled for Saturday week, October 18, and the eventual Leitrim champions due to face the Sligo winners in the Connacht Minor A Championship on Friday October 24, Leitrim GAA face an almost impossible race to finish the competition in time to ensure the County are represented in Connacht.

LEITRIM LGFA & GAA TITLES ON THE LINE IN HECTIC CLUB WEEKEND

The winners of the Leitrim Sligo clash in Connacht go on to face the Mayo winners on Tuesday October 28, with the final the following Friday, October 31. Glencar Manorhamilton reached last year's Connacht A Final where they lost to Oranmore Maree. It is also expected that the semi-finals in the U17 Division 2 Championship will go ahead as planned on Saturday.

Depending on the result of Glencar Manorhamilton's appeal, which is likely to succeed given Allen Gaels' successful appeal, the timeframe to complete the Leitrim competition is extremely tight. Unless games are played midweek, it looks unlikely that Leitrim will have a team in the Provincial competition.

There is a remote possibility that Leitrim could nominate a team to represent the County in the Connacht grade but that could prove to be contentious with the winners of the Mac Cumhaills and Rinn Gaels semi-final and League champions St Mary's Kiltoghert awaiting their opponents.

Complicating the matter in the U13 Championship is that three teams finished level on eight points - Naomh Eoin, Allen Gaels and Mac Cumhaills meaning a three way playoff is likely, which will further delay the competition further and with the Halloween Mid-term school break fast approaching, finishing the competition in the next few week's looks a remote possibility.

In other GAA news, the Connacht Gold Leitrim SFC Relegation Final between St Mary's Kiltoghert and Melvin Gaels has been switched to Glencar Manorhamilton's club grounds at Boggaun with an earlier start time of 3 pm.