There is anger in the Kilmore GAA club at events over last weekend when their request to postpone their Connacht Club Intermediate Championship game against Galway champions, Monivea, was turned down by the Connacht Council.
The club had won the Roscommon intermediate title on Saturday after extra-time against Oran and then they were hit by the sad news of the passing of club legend Frank Dennehy on Sunday morning. They had to line out in the Connacht club game just 19 hours after winning the Roscommon championship and the club claim that the situation is grossly unfair on the players involved.
The club have issued a very strong statement on the matter and have decided to form the first local branch of the new CPA (Club Players Association).
Part of the Kilmore GAA statement read: ‘We left the dressing room in Strokestown at 4.30 pm on October 22nd and took the field for a warm up 19.5 hours later in Tuam with players who were physical and mental wrecks from the day before. Can anybody with a single functioning brain cell justify this. It proves that the spin we hear about the physical and mental well fare of players and the importance of club games is nothing more than that; SPIN.
We are also deeply disappointed that the Connacht Council refused our request to postpone the game due to the death of our Honorary President Frank Dennehy. At the time of his death Frank was Roscommon GAA President, President and an Honorary member of our club, served Roscommon GAA in many capacities including Co Secretary, managed teams from our club to four Co Titles and was an iconic figure in Kilmore and Roscommon. We heard of his passing as we boarded the bus for Tuam and contacted John Prenty the Connacht Secretary requesting a postponement; yet the Connacht Council said no. Shame on them.’
