Dear Editor
I am writing to you once again in reply to the article in your letters to the editor page on Wednesday 16 July. The article I refer to is indeed the letter from the Barna/Na Forbhacha Community Games Committee, titled 'Politics have no part in Games'.

This letter gives the Barna/Na Forbhacha viewpoint on the 'incident' that occurred at the county football semi-final between Barna/Na Forbhacha and Tuam. While I do not wish to enter a tit for tat argument with our esteemed members from this area who like all us volunteers in the organisation do much work to have their children involved in community games, I do feel I need to respond on this occasion and hopefully put this whole issue to bed.

The Barna/Na Forbhacha committee state that they are disappointed that the Galway Games Committee decided to air this matter in public, but as County Public Relations officer it is my duty to reply to all matters arising in the press and I did this by writing to you last time in reply to the fine article written by your own John Fallon in your Wednesday 2 July edition. I also wish to state that all dealings of the county are done openly and in public view and we do not attempt to conduct any business behind veiled curtains.

Secondly, the 'incident' I referred to in my last letter was the actual agreement of both sets of management to playing a second period of added time in the Semi-final as the Barna/Na Forbhacha letter says. As I stated, there is a rule in Community Games that a Golden Score applies to this period. The fact that two sets of managers agree to play in a certain manner does not mean that this can be followed through. There are many rules in place that are not made by the County Committee, but we are bound by those rules. You must remember that nationally over 500,000 children from over 800 areas take part annually in community games activities and this is why it is so important to have consistency in our rules.

The Barna/Na Forbhacha committee also state that the referee agreed to play under the agreement that both sets of managers had agreed on. The referee for this match has a fine record in refereeing and has done so for many years. However, there is a slight difference in the rulings of extra time in Community Games football and that played by the GAA. This would not have been known to the referee, as it is very rare that it arises. It is a rule that has been in the rulebooks for many years and, no matter how much any of us dislike it, we cannot alter the fact that it is a rule.

Barna/Na Forbhacha bring the name of Tony Lee into the equation in their letter and say that he was the Community Games County Official present and that he agreed to this set of side rules being played. Tony Lee has been a fine ambassador for the games for many years and has co-ordinated the football for many years and done a wonderful job. However, Tony was present at that game in his capacity as co-ordinator and indeed as a supporter of the young children playing. Tony has not been on the county committee for the last year and, in my dealings with him, he has never attempted to affect anything that would contravene National Rules.

The article also says that the community games committee added to the controversy by stripping the Bearna/Furno under 10s of their place in the final. I feel I must point out that the county committee had no involvement in this decision. This decision is taken in accordance with organisational rules by the appeals committee, which is appointed annually at the AGM by all member areas and Barna/Na Forbhacha were offered a replay, which they declined.

The Barna/Na Forbhacha committee also state that they have shown their children that 'it is wrong to go back on your word and that winning at all costs is not part of the Bearna/Furbo community games ethos'. This is very fine sentiment and their right of course, but we are all bound as part of the national organisation to the same set of rules and we cannot alter them to suit any one area's desire to teach any particular lesson to their children.

Yours in sport,
Vincent Conway,
PRO Galway Community Games

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