Rory Gallagher blasts GAA 'rule change' that makes Derry 'unequal'

Martin Boyle's Under 20s face an Ulster semi-final date against Donegal on April 12th, just three days before Rory Gallagher's senior side begin the defence of their senior crown in Brewster Park against Fermanagh.

A motion voted on at Congress in February introduced a 'seven day' rule which was then amended and now means a player may only play in one championship match across a seven day rolling period. The upshot is, should the likes of Matthew Downey, Lachlan Murray, Eoin McEvoy, Niall O'Donnell and Mark Doherty play any part in the U20 match against Donegal, they then become ineligible for to play for the senior side that weekend.

However, given Donegal are not due to meet Down in the senior competition until April 23rd, the Tír Chonaill Under 20 players are free to appear in both matches, something Gallagher claims makes a mockery of the U20 championship.

Derry insist the ruling, which was carried on February 25th, initially stated it would apply 'in each seven-day period (Friday morning to the following Thursday night)'. However the rules advisory committee subsequently requested the Director General seek interpretation and presented two options to Central Council for adoption. Option 1 was, as passed at Congress, with the Friday morning to the following Thursday being the set seven day period. Option 2 described the seven day period as a rolling seven days meaning it started from whatever date any match was played and it was Option 2 that was then adopted by Central Council on March 25th, after the beginning of the Leinster Under 20 Championship.

Derry insists the rewording fundamentally changes the rule and therefore constitutes a new rule, pointing to Rule 3.43 (b) which states Central Council has the power to interpret a rule but it does not have the power to rewrite a rule which has been passed at Congress.

"Four of them (Derry's U20 players) came on today," explained Gallagher after Sunday's Division Two final, "If they are named in the U20 squad on the Wednesday, they cannot play on the Saturday. Yet Donegal don't play until April 23 so they'd be eligible. Is that a messed up championship?

"They changed the rules after the competition had started. How would you be happy about it? We are very disappointed with it. We are very disappointed the Ulster Council didn't see fit to move the fixture, the U20 fixture. The Ulster Council voted on it yesterday (Saturday) but it's like usual, lip service from them.

"The easy solution; we offered to play it next week, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. It is outside the seven days."There is big talk in the world about equality and diversification, all this sort of thing. Yet Derry players are not equal to Donegal players because they do not get the opportunity to play in both championships within the timeframe."

Ironically, should Derry and Down make it to the U20 final on April 26th, then any Down player to have featured in their senior tie against Donegal on the previous Sunday would also be ineligible and Gallagher said it was up to the powers that be to find a solution or defer the new ruling.

"(They have to) find a solution or the ruling is put back next year," he added, "It is absolutely ridiculous it was brought in. It's supposed to be about having your best players playing in the competitions. How can the best players play in two competitions.

"If the five lads play in the U20 game, they can't play senior. Our players are not getting the equal opportunity that the Donegal players are getting. They changed the ruling after the competition started. "