THESE GUYS WON’T SUFFER FOOLS This is what McHale Park in Castlebar is likely to look like for next Sunday’s National Football League match. Security is being stepped up after recent crowd trouble with riot police and guard dogs all expected to be rolled out for the visit of Galway. Have you checked today’s date by the way? Image: Michael McLaughlin
Stewards go undercover in bid to prevent trouble
Mike Finnerty
UNDERCOVER stewards will be deployed around McHale Park, Castlebar next Sunday as the Mayo GAA Board attempt to prevent any repeat of the incidents that marred the recent National League match against Kerry.
The County Board were fined €5,000 last week after a number of objects (including a wooden spoon and coins) were thrown at Kerry players by unidentified Mayo supporters.
GAA authorities warned Mayo last week of the consequences of further crowd problems, and as a result CCTV cameras will be installed for next Sunday’s match and security preparations have been stepped up.
“We’ve had to reorganise our Event Control Management Plan,” County Secretary Sean Feeney told The Mayo News last night. “Jerry Henry, who is FETAC qualified, has been appointed as our Event Controller with Paddy McNicholas remaining as the Chief Steward. We’ll also have six Area Stewards who also have FETAC training and they will have approximately ten stewards in each of their teams.
“We’ve also decided to enlist a number of undercover stewards whose job it will be to mix in with the crowd, mingle, observe, and report back if they see anything untoward. We’re not expecting a crowd in excess of 5,000 people so we should be well covered.”
The incidents during the recent league victory over Kerry were not the first time that the matter of stewarding and crowd control had been an issue at McHale Park.
Pitch invasions before the end of the 2006 Connacht final and in the closing stages of last year’s National League match against Dublin also highlighted the potential shortcomings of Mayo’s game-day planning.
However, Sean Feeney maintains that apart from beefing up security and installing CCTV, there is little else that can be done by Mayo GAA authorities. He believes the onus is on Mayo supporters to exercise their civic duty.
“I don’t think the problem in the past was necessarily with our Event Control Management Plan,” he said. “The reality is that there’s a different kind of crowd going to games now and all you can do is increase the number of stewards and install closed circuit television cameras.
“The Mayo supporters were always good supporters and always showed great respect to the opposition. It’s a minority who seem intent on causing trouble.
“But I would say that it’s every Mayo supporter’s civic duty to report any misbehaviour to stewards or to tell whoever is out of line to stop. The GAA authorities view this matter very seriously and it could have serious implications for us if it continues.”
Feeney also refused to be drawn on the exact number of cameras that would be installed at McHale Park.
“We’re not disclosing that but, suffice to say, that the entire stadium will be covered. They will be erected temporarily for each game and taken down again until McHale Park is redeveloped. We’ll be installing them permanently then.”
