Transfers way above the national average
Brian Donnelly holds off a challenge from Meath's Brian Meade at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday afternoon.
LOUTH GAA chiefs may look into charging a fee for inter-club transfers after a whopping 86 requests were submitted to the county board.
The vast majority of transfers were sanctioned by the CCC as in many cases clubs didn't raise an objection, but at Monday night's meeting to ratify the decisions, Roche Emmets delegate, Brian Mccoy, suggested that applying a fee might deter some players or clubs from seeking transfers in the first place.
He said Louth is 'way above the national average' for the quantity of transfer requests lodged, pointing out that only 12 requests were made in Armagh and 14 in Meath.
County secretary, Des Halpenny, agreed that there was a 'huge' number of requests, but was cautious about the idea of charging a fee as it may not be 'democratic'.
The customary objections didn't take long to deal with as in many cases objecting clubs failed to even attract a seconder for proposals to rescind the original CCC decisions.
The most high-profile requests didn't even make it to the CCC table as David Brennan withdrew his request to move from Mattock Rangers to Hunsterstown Rovers, while Seamus Quigley opted to stay with Cooley Kickhams, despite requesting a move to Clan na Gael.
One objection that did make it to a vote related to the transfer of Dean Matthews from Glyde Rangers to St Mary's, which was sanctioned by the CCC.
Glyde delegate, Patsy Reid said his club wanted a chance to talk things through with the player and if there was no change they would not object next year.
However, Matthews attended the meeting in person and insisted that if the transfer did not go through, he would not line out for Glyde in 2012. He revealed he missed 12 months through suspension and could not afford another year out of football, while he also claimed that his dad and two brothers are involved with St Mary's.
A former Louth minor, Matthews' move will be a big boost to St Mary's, who have lost high-profile forwards Niall Sharkey and Darren Clarke in recent seasons.
Meanwhile, Eoin Moore will not be following his brother, Ruairi to the O Raghallaigh's - in 2012 at least.
His club St Fechin's objected to the transfer request, promting an objection from the Drogheda club.
Delegate, Peter Moore (Eoin's uncle) said the case was exactly the same as Ruairi's in that neither player had ever intended to play adult football with St Fechin's. He stressed Eoin's family are 'died in the wool O Raghallaigh's people' and were only playing for St Fechin's at underage level because that's where they lived and went to school.
However, St Fechin's delegate Vincent Mcglew said his club had lost their two best players - Andy Mcdonnell and Ruairi Moore - to Drogheda clubs in recent seasons and suggested that clubs should be nurturing their own talent rather than 'poaching' from other clubs. O'raghallaigh's objection didn't receive a seconder.
A number of juvenile transfers were also debated with just one decision being overturned, while another was deferred.
