LAST UPDATE | 12 Aug 2020
THE REIGNING LONGFORD senior football champions got their title defence off to a successful start last weekend but have now been hit with a 48-week suspension.
The Killoe Emmet Óg club have been handed the ban with The Longford Leader reporting that it is in relation to a €750 fine that was imposed by the county’s GAA hearings committee back in February which was subject to an appeal by the club.
The fine was due to the club not appearing at an U16 county final in January, although they had contacted the county board before that game to inform them that they would not be fulfilling the fixture as an investigation into another issue from the same competition had not been dealt with.
Killoe were to pay the fine before the 31 July deadline but had appealed to the Leinster GAA Hearings Committee and this hearing had not been able to take place due to the GAA shutdown since March caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last Friday night Killoe began their Longford senior football title defence by defeating Clonguish 0-14 to 0-9 in Monaduff in their opening Group 2 clash. They are scheduled to play Mostrim in their remaining game in the three-team group on 21 August.
But the ban has now been handed down by the commitee in Longford who have opted to press ahead with the 48-week suspension, which covers teams at all levels in the club.
Gerry Hagan, chairman of the Killoe Óg club and the Longford Central Council delegate, confirmed the club will be appealing the matter, when speaking to the Longford Leader.
“Emmet Óg GAA Club and everyone attached to the Killoe club are extremely angry at the rigid application of the rules in this instance, which has given no regard to the upheaval and challenges that the Covid-19 Global pandemic has caused to all sectors of our society, in particular to voluntary organisations like the GAA.”
Killoe Emmet Óg are one of the most successful clubs in Longford of late with last year’s senior football title win their fourth in the space of eight seasons. They defaeated Longford Slashers 0-12 to 0-11 in that decider before exiting the Leinster club championship at the hands of Garrycastle.
They have several players with county senior experience. Mickey Quinn, the former Essendon AFL player is one of their best-known figures, and he featured for the Longford senior side last summer alongside club-mates Pádraig McCormack, Daniel Mimnagh and Mark Hughes.
- Story first published today at 08.35
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
