OPINION: Coup fails as Durkan and Sweeney lead new Mayo soccer committee

Wednesday night's EGM of the Mayo League turned out to be largely a non-event.

The withdrawal earlier in the afternoon of Martin Kielty from the race for the post of Secretary, was the first signal that the revolution had failed.

One by one, five others withdrew from the race to become ordinary members of the Mayo League Management Committee, leaving eight candidates remaining for nine places.

The coup had failed.

What happened afterwards was simply a formality, a going through the motions for the sake of doing so.

The clubs endorsed John Durkan's continuation as secretary, and the remaining committee member
nominees were all approved.

A short time later, after a brief private meeting of the new committee, it was announced that Gerry Sweeney would be chairman, a post he held a few years ago.

But the significant fact was that John Durkan had resisted an attempted heave and his position at the helm of Mayo Soccer was never stronger than it is now.

WRITING ON THE WALL

Signs of trouble for the challengers became apparent when the nominations were submitted.

John Durkan was nominated by Bangor Hibs, Ballinrobe Town, Manulla FC, Claremorris FC, Partry Athletic, Fahy Rovers, Achill Rovers, Killala FC, Crossmolina FC, Iorras Aontaithe, Conn Rangers, Ballyvary Blue Bombers, Kilmore FC and Straide & Foxford.

Martin Kielty was nominated by Castlebar Celtic, Swinford FC and Ballina Town. Fourteen clubs to three.

Durkan already had more than half of the clubs on his side, and seemed to have the upper hand on his challenger Martin Kielty from the off.

Supporters of Kielty claimed that clubs had nominated Durkan because they wanted to be seen to be supporting him, but that privately they would vote for the challenger.

But as things developed on Wednesday, it became apparent to the challengers that this wasn't going to happen.

And Martin Kielty's withdrawal triggered a domino effect, taking out the anti-Durkan lobby, and crushing all resistance in its wake.

John Durkan is close on 40 years on the Mayo League Management Committee, 33 of them spent in the powerful role as secretary.

At a meeting in January, the Mayo League Management Committee passed a motion of no confidence in him and in Gerry Sweeney and asked them to resign.

After Wednesday night's meeting, Durkan is back as secretary, Sweeney is back as chairman, and the aims and aspirations of the challengers are scattered to the winds.

Even his most vocal critics have to admire the way that Durkan bloodlessly crushed the coup by a strong personal canvass of the clubs, and in the process strengthened his own position and brought his ally, Gerry Sweeney, back into the chair.

He has, with the exception of Kieran Gallagher, an entirely new committee to work with in Aiden Dunleavy, Chris McGauley, Seán Molloy, Patrick Lindsay, Richard Gorman and Seán Ruane.

HARSH LESSON

For the challengers. This has been a harsh lesson. But it highlights several other dynamics of Mayo
football.

The big winners are Durkan and Sweeney and their close buddy Joe Faughnan, the chairman of
Mayo FC.

Things will be smoother now, between the League and the LoI club. But the reasons for this EGM were many and varied and not exclusively to do with the emergence of Mayo FC.

Many felt Durkan was too long in power, and behind his back, had accused him of pulling strokes down through the years.

But when it came to it, they didn't have the numbers or the strength of resolve or the organisational ability to take him out. Instead, he is back in stronger than ever.

The spectacular casualty is Tom McDaniel. He was the outgoing treasurer of the league and has been on the committee for roughly the same length of time as Durkan.

Many believed he was always going to struggle in a contest, due to his involvement in the disciplinary committee of the league and the issuing of fines to clubs – not popular activities.

Chris McHale Roe, elected for the first time as Chairman at last December’s AGM, is gone too.

He had tried to bring in reforms to the practices of the league, but perhaps he tried too much, too soon.

Add to that Martin Kielty, who was the sitting vice-chairman, and you have three of the four top officers gone from the committee elected only two months ago. That would rattle any organisation and it has too, the Mayo League.

OVERHAUL

Durkan and Sweeney will dominate it now, but when the dust settles and the euphoria of the bloodless
crushing of the revolution wears off, key stark facts remain; most notably, the Mayo League needs urgent reform.

There has to be a clear, transparent, documented and auditable separation of the Milebush ownership
body, from the Mayo League itself.

The disciplinary process needs an overhaul. Punishments including fines, must be consistent. The list of crimes and their relevant punishments must be published, and adhered to.

All disciplinary action above a certain threshold must be brought before the entire League Management Committee, for sign-off, before issue.

All clubs must be treated equally and fairly in all matters, at all times.

The League must create and implement a comprehensive set of policies and procedures, to cover all
foreseeable eventualities, in line with proper corporate governance.

Meetings of club representatives and the League Management Committee, must be held at least twice
during the season to facilitate dialogue and promote goodwill.

The League needs to take into account the various challenges of clubs, when scheduling non-weekend
fixtures. Fixture scheduling must be about the game, not the administration of the game.