THE Central Council are to create history next month by putting a motion forward to congress for the very first time.
The motion relates to the transfer of players between Ireland and New York, an issue which caused the Games Administration Committee a few headaches in the past year.
The GAA have been at pains to point out that the proposed rule changes have been agreed with the assistance of the New York board.
Central Council are hoping to create two categories of players who can play in New York.
As well as the existing weekend players, the GAA want to make a new regulation to bring New York in line with the rest of the American boards.
Those who wish to go for longer than a weekend must stay in the States for the entire summer period, taken to last for a minimum of three months.
Any player who transfers for the summer but comes back prematurely, will not be allowed to play for his home club for 60 days.
Anyone who declares they are going to New York to live and is seeking a permanent transfer, will not be given one until he has lived abroad for a minimum period of nine months.
The strict changes signal the GAA’s desire to clamp down on those travelling illegally between Ireland and New York.
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ST COLUMBA'S, Portaferry qualified for their first ever Ulster Colleges final when they defeated St Louis’ Ballymena 2-15 to 0-7 in the Foresters Cup semi-final on Tuesday.
St Columba’s, who moved from Vocational Schools to Colleges competitions five years ago, have won through to the semi-finals of a number of hurling competitions to date, but this result brings them through to their first decider.
Karl Keating and Barry Murray were the top scorers and both players will receive Colleges Allstars tomorrow night in Drumsill House, Armagh.
The goals were scored by their captain Paul Convery and corner forward Paul Braniff.
St Louis’s best performer was Loughgiel forward Gareth Connolly with five points, but overall St Columba’s were much the stronger side.
St Columba’s scorers: Paul Convery & Paul Braniff (1-1 each); Karol Keating (0-4), Barry Murray (0- 3), Stephen Johnston & Nigel Kelly (0-2 each), Stephen Adler & Stephen Clarke (0-1 each).
St Louis’s scorers: Gareth Connolly (0-5); Cathal McMullan (0-1); John McGuckian (0-1).
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A STRONG final round by Belfast light flyweight James Rooney wasn’t enough to stave off defeat in the King’s Cup tournament in Bangkok last night.
Rooney (Star), the current Irish champion, was the first of Ulster’s twelve-man team into action in the Thailand event and went under 19-6 to Kao Sainwais (India).
Out without landing a punch was Tyrone middleweight Tommy Donnelly who picked up a minor viral infection and was ruled out by Ulster team doctor Sean Donnelly.
“Jim gave his usual 120 per cent against a fastpunching Indian opponent,” said team manager Pat McCrory last night.
“He came back strongly in the last round and proved to the rest of the team that the acclimatisation plan has worked.
“We came out a week before the tournament started and it has proved worthwhile, Jim was strong right to the bell.”
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DERRY and Armagh’s progress in the U21 football championships mean that it could be some weeks before Queen’s and UUJ can play their All-Ireland A freshers football decider.
UUJ are the more affected of the two varsity squads with Neil Farren and Gavin Diamond among at least five Derry U21 in the Poly panel.
However, Armagh U21s John Toal and Noel McParland are also first year students at Jordanstown so county team boss Seamus Heffron is fearful that a freshers final could lead to his squad for the provincial final against Derry being depleted.
UUJ GAA president John Farrell says he “totally understands” the difficulty that Seamus Heffron and Derry supremo Harry Gribben have with the freshers decider being played.
