Kevin O’Brien reports from Croke Park
IN A DIFFICULT day for the Club Players Association (CPA), they’ll have to wait until 2018, at the earliest, until they are officially recognised by the GAA.
Both Wexford and Tipperary withdrew their joint-motion for the formal recognition of the CPA as the official representative body for club players at all grades eligible to play for adult teams.
Nobody spoke in favour of the proposal, while there were several to argue against it.
Former GAA President Nickey Brennan successfully appealed for both counties to withdraw the motion.
“The CPA have indicated the club fixtures are their remit and I do believe they are very genuine about that,” Brennan said.
“But I am concerned that by accepting them today we’re getting an organisation we’re not very clear about.
“I would ask the proposer of this motion to withdraw it and allow discussions to take place between the GAA and the CPA in the coming months. The CPA needs to set out much more clearly what their Modus Operandi is about.
“I would like much more engagement over the next six months, and then by all means come back with a Motion next year when delegates know what the CPA is all about. That would be preferable than sending out the message today to club players that Congress voted them down.”
Galway, Down, Longford and Sligo also voiced their opposition to the motion. As a result, Wexford and Tipperary withdrew the proposal.
The announcement for the withdrawal of the motion was met with loud applause throughout the room.
It took the GPA over a decade to gain recognition and the CPA, which was only formed in late 2016, will have to wait a little while longer to achieve the same.
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
