McCartin re-elected as Leitrim GAA County Board Treasurer as Allianz sponsorship motion passes

Outgoing Treasurer Martin McCartin was returned to his role with the Leitrim GAA County Board after he held off the challenge of outgoing vice-chairman Joe Cox in the only election of the night at Wednesday's annual Convention in The Bush Hotel in Carrick-on-Shannon.

With a number of motions for Congress also debated on the night, it was a relatively quiet evening with only one election with Chairman Declan Bohan announcing after the vote, without releasing the final tally, that Mr McCartin has been returned to the post ahead of Mr Cox who stepped down from his position as vice-chairman prior to the vote being taken.

Eslin's Adrian McCaffrey was returned as the new Vice-Chairman while Gortletteragh's Aoife Keenan was returned unopposed as the new Communications Officer. Cloone's Enda Tiernan was appointed to the newly created Demographics Officer post while Aughnasheelin's Terence Boyle is the new Children's Officer.

Sean McGoldrick (St Mary's Kiltoghert) and Martin McGowan (Allen Gaels) were returned unopposed as Leitrim's Connacht delegates but Mr Bohan revealed that a vacancy would arise in the new year after Mr McGoldrick was unanimously approved as Leitrim's nomination for the role of Connacht Council PRO for a three year term, opening up his position for nominations.

Aughnasheelin's motion that a player shall only be eligible to represent a County team if he is a registered active member of a club within that county was defeated with only six votes in favour of the motion. Proposing the motion, Niall Murray said that the GAA ethos was based on where you were from and if a player was willing to travel to play for his county, he should be able to travel to play for his club.

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Declan Bohan pointed out that Leitrim had benefitted greatly over the years under the Parentage Rule for County teams and that this motion would have a large knock-on effect on other rules in the Guidebook. Annaduff's Sean Gallagher pointed out that if such a rule was passed, Galway's Shane Walsh would not be eligible to play for Galway but would be eligible to play for Dublin.

Other delegates spoke against the motion but Mr Murray countered that the situation the motion was designed to counter was already happening in Leitrim and other county and the ethos of the GAA is based upon where you are from and that here was a motion people should stand up for.

Ballinamore Sean O'Heslin's motion seeking that ending of Allianz sponsorship from all GAA competitions was passed with 50 votes in favour. Proposing the motion, Sean O'Sulleabhain pointed out that, if successful, the motion would hurt the GAA more than Allianz but there were quite a few things GAA members as individuals could do and it was up to everyone not to support organisations that may be benefitting from genocide in Palestine.

Declan Bohan pointed out that, while not advocating for or against the motion, Allianz currently underwrite a lot of units within the GAA and that up to 1,000 companies has been named in the UN report "Economy of occupation to the economy of Genocide". He pointed out that the motion could have unintended consequences in terms of sponsorship. The motion was passed.

A Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins motion seeking that penalty shootouts are no longer used to determine the winner of games in Gaelic Football with an alternative chosen after consultation with players was passed, although in proposing the motion, Niall Gormley admitted that penalties may be the preferred method of players to determine 'winner on the day' protocols. However, a Ballinamore motion for some method to be devised to determine points scored in football and hurling was defeated.

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Aughnasheelin were successful with a motion seeking players who have their Visas revoked in America be able to transfer back to their clubs and be eligible to play in club championships immediately, even if they had already played in a competition in America. Proposing the motion, Shirley Sammon pointed out that players could see their Visas revoked through no fault of their own but were unable to play football at home even though they were unable to return to America.