Participation & finance highlighted as key issues for Leitrim LGFA

The increased costs of keeping Ladies football afloat and increasing participation among young girls was the main topics as Chairperson Kathy Butler addressed delegates at the Leitrim LGFA Convention held on Tuesday December 20, in the Bush Hotel.

With Leitrim LGFA joining up with Leitrim GAA for the 50 Miles in January Challenge, Kathy stressed the importance of other fundraising activities: “Our fundraising committee is working really hard in the background to ensure that we have sufficient funds to ensure all our operational needs are met because with rising costs, it's not going to be straightforward this year. 

“The cost of running our teams is increasing. Energy costs have risen, pitch fees have risen, gear costs have risen. Everything has become more expensive as we're all acutely aware and that's really going to put a huge drain on our finances this year.

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“So, while this 50-mile fundraiser will hopefully be extremely lucrative, with our support, it's not going to cover our costs for the year so we'll need additional fundraisers during the year and we're looking forward to your continued support.”

The link-up with Leitrim GAA is a really positive development according to Kathy: “I think it marks a first in terms of financial collaboration and this can only be positive going forward. It marks the start of a renewed collaboration between the two organisations and we see that that's the direction the organisations are going, at a national level.”

Leitrim LGFA are working on proposals to increase participation among young girls in the game and Kathy urged clubs to support the proposals of the Development committee: “The primary aim here is that every girl has the opportunity to play and be involved. 

“It's absolutely vital that all of our girls are given the opportunity to improve on a consistent basis and this will benefit our club and county teams right up to adult level in the long term.”

Looking back on the inter-county season, Kathy felt that luck didn’t go Leitrim’s way in 2022: “Our Intermediate county team did very well, winning their second Connacht championship in a row and were probably a little bit unlucky in the league semi-final. Things just didn't go to plan on the day and in such games the margins are very fine and we’re acutely aware that Division 4 is such a difficult division to get out of. 

Check out all the images from the launch of Leitrim's 50 Miles in January Challenge - GALLERY

Leitrim people all over the world will be dusting off their shoes for the 50 Miles in January Challenge as Leitrim GAA & LGFA join forces for the campaign and Observer photographer Willie Donnellan was at the launch in the Lough Rynn Castle Estate & Gardens to capture the event ... see who you can spot!

“The championship campaign was a little bit more disappointing, and while we saw some very positive and excellent play at stages in all games, we probably didn’t do ourselves justice. The bounce of a ball here or there could have made a huge difference and it was unfortunate that we did not progress to the knockout stages.”

Leitrim Gaels’ Mark Chandler was appointed as the new Treasurer while St Brigid’s Edel Shanley is the new Assistant PRO. The positions of Vice Chairperson, Central Council delegate, Connacht Council delegate and U16 manager roles are vacant. 

The meeting also agreed that the County Board’s Minor Player of the Year award be renamed Marion McKeon Award. 

In the motions dealt with on the night, the big one is an application to the Connacht Council to have the Senior champions, drawn from a new combined competition which does away with the Senior A & B grades, regarded to compete at the Connacht Intermediate level.

That regrading would have a huge impact at Connacht level and may not find favour but if it applied in 2022, it would have meant Glencar Manorhamilton competing in the Connacht Intermediate grade with Connacht Intermediate club finalists Kiltubrid losing out completely as St Mary’s would have competed at Junior level.

It is an interesting motion given Glencar Manorhamilton’s Connacht Intermediate Final victory in 2020 was followed quickly by a Provincial Senior Final appearance the following season. Both Kiltubrid (Senior B winners 2022) and St Joseph’s (Senior champions 2019) have appeared in Connacht Intermediate Finals.

The motion has a knock on effect as St Joseph’s proposed running a new format for the Senior Championship with all teams in the A & B grade playing each other but that the A & B Finals be confined to teams in those categories.

The meeting passed a recommendation from St Joseph’s to allow county players play in the club league due to lack of competitiveness while a request for U12 games to use Go Games rules for the same reason is to be assessed by the Development Committee.

St Joseph’s motion that each club put forward a referee who must be available for games and that, by 2025, will be able to referee all games up to and including senior was passed.

“50 Miles in January Challenge” as Leitrim GAA & LGFA join forces for 2023 campaign

A Glencar Manorhamilton motion, which has previously been rejected by the LGFA Congress, seeking a deviation from the rule which says that players outside the named first 15 who play on a higher grade team in the championship are no longer eligible for the lower grade was passed again by delegates.

Two other recommendations from St Brigid’s and St Mary’s Kiltoghert regarding fixture scheduling will be brought to the Fixtures Committee.