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Dear Editor,
I write to you on an article that appeared in your paper last week relating to community games. The article in question was titled 'Winning at all costs', if I can remember right, and was by John Fallon. This article referred to the Community Games County semi final between Barna/Na Forbhacha and Tuam.
The Galway Community Games committee has endeavoured in recent times to increase participation within our county and have been very successful in doing so this year. We have tried to take a positive approach to all aspects of sport within the county. It was with deep regret that an incident happened in the Football Semi-Final that has left a sour taste in all our mouths.
The game involved children under ten years of age and we all know this means eight and nine year olds. This is a very tender age where children should be enjoying the participation aspect of sport more than the competitive aspect. We all know that children will by nature compete to some extent like any of us, but we would hope that at such a young age as those involved in the Gaelic Football that just playing would be a great achievement.
As you will be aware, this was a very close match and ended in a draw with extra time being played. At the end of extra time, the two teams were still level and, as is community game regulations, another period of extra time was then played. The rule is that five minutes aside are to be played. This rule was followed, but unfortunately the second half of the rule, which states that 'the first team to score in this golden period of extra time is deemed the winner' was not known to the officials involved. Tuam scored first in this period and therefore should have been deemed the winners. However, the match continued and Barna/Na Forbhacha won on points total.
As was their right, Tuam appealed the outcome of the game, as they were technically the winners. The appeals committee took on board all aspects of what had happened but were bound by the rules. However to continue in a sporting fashion it was decided that Tuam would replay Barna/Na Forbhacha and thereby give all the children the chance to once more represent their areas. Barna/Na Forbhacha refused this offer and did not turn up for the replay. As is stated in the rules, the ball was thrown in for this match and Tuam, unopposed, scored without fouling the ball and were therefore deemed the winners.
It is unfortunate that this incident occurred, as we that are involved in the organisation are all volunteers and became so in order to ensure that children took part in a fair and sporting competition. As you will be aware, the ethos of community games is to participate and not to win at any cost. It is, as your article pointed out, very unfortunate that the children involved had to see the 'working of the committee room' or indeed the politics that is sometimes involved in any sport. Our thoughts on the county committee go to the children who were denied the right to fight on and we hope that this would never be allowed to happen again, as there can be no right in seeing eight and nine year olds upset by such outcomes.
Yours in sport,
Vincent Conway,
PRO Galway Community Games
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