Dear Editor,
In reply to the letter dated 9 July, 'Winning at all costs' we would like to bring to your attention some of the inaccuracies reported in Vincent Conway's letter. Community Games PRO, Mr Conway went to some lengths to try to justify their handling of the ongoing controversy in the U-10 football. However, a number of points need clarification.

Background

Firstly, there was no 'incident' on the day, as Mr Conway suggested. The game was played in Tuam between Bearna/Furbo and Tuam U-10 teams. The game ended in a draw. Five minutes a side extra time was played and ended with both sides level again. Both sets of coaches agreed to play a second period of extra time to decide the winner. The referee on the day agreed to this. The community games county official present on the day was Tony Lee and he agreed to this too. Extra time was played and won by Bearna/Furbo. Management from Tuam entered the dressing rooms and congratulated Bearna/Furbo on winning the game. The Bearna/Furbo eight and nine year olds went home delighted in victory and were looking forward to the final.

Appeal controversy and community games response

The controversy began a couple of days later when the Tuam management decided to appeal the result on a technicality (ie golden score should have applied rather than five minutes a side in second period of extra time). The community games committee added to the controversy by stripping Bearna/Furbo U-10s of their place in the final and ordered the game to be replayed. Bearna/Furbo felt this decision was particularly harsh on eight and nine year old children, especially since a senior community games county official agreed to the format of extra time.

Mr Conway states that Tuam were the first to score during the latter period of extra time and should have been deemed the winners. One wonders how he arrived at this conclusion as the official reply received from the appeals committee states clearly that the referee can't recall which team scored first.

Sportmanship, technicalities and justice

Through working with underage teams over many years, you learn that one of the most important lessons in sport is to learn to accept winning and losing as part of life. You try to learn from defeat and return to the fray with renewed effort. Bearna/Furbo won the game on the field of play where all games should be won. Mr Conway makes reference to the children being denied the right to fight on. We have never denied our children the right to participate in community games.