Regulations

League and cup competition regulations

1. Each team wishing to play in a League shall notify the Hon. Sec and the Hon. Fixtures secretary at the Annual General Meeting, Specifying the League in which the team wishes to play.
2. On or before the 15^th of June each year, clubs shall send to both the Hon. Sec. And the Hon. Fixtures secretary the name and address of its Ho. Secretary.
3. Clubs entering for the League Competition shall forward a list of names containing names of all playing members of the club to the Fixtures secretary for registration on the relevant registration form, to reach her not later than 10 days after the day on which the first match of the league competition is played, to apply retrospectively. New members shall be registered within seven days of playing for the club, (or tick ‘new reg’ beside the players name on the team score sheet). Infringement of this rule; winning or drawing team will lose points, losing team will pay a €65 euro fine. Any team withdrawing from the League or Cup competitions after the 30^th September will be fined €65.
4. Eleven bona-fide regular playing members from each team must be registered. Each team must be registered in order of merit and numbered, subject to the approval of the Registration Committee. Of those so registered, the first nine of the first eleven shall not be eligible to play for any other eleven (i.e. static) and these named eleven players must actually play in the league matches in their relevant division. The first seven of the second eleven, the first seven of the third eleven and any subsequent eleven shall not be eligible to play for any lower than that for which they are registered.
5. Players registered but not restricted by Rule 4 shall be eligible to play on the next lower eleven than that on which their names appear, but for no other eleven. All players will be eligible to play for higher eleven’s than that for which they are registered.
6. Applications may be made on or before the Friday prior to the forthcoming Council Meeting to the fixtures secretary for permission to alter the register of 4 players (i.e. static) in each eleven in the months of September and October, and two members of each eleven in subsequent months. Such application can be considered by the Registration Committee at their next meeting, and changes can only take effect after that date if the application is approved by the committee. For the purpose of this rule the exchange in the order of two players of the same eleven shall constitute only one alteration in the eleven. However, the exchange of a player of one eleven with a player of another eleven shall constitute n alteration of each eleven.
7. In all League matches three points shall be awarded for a win, two for a score draw, one point for a scoreless draw and no points for a loss. The team obtaining the most points at the end of the league shall be the winner for the current season. In the case of two or more teams having an equal number of points at the end of the league, a deciding match should be played (and a result achieved on the day). League matches must be completed by a date decided by the fixtures secretary and ratified by the council – failure to do so will result in a fine of €65 for each team. One team will be promoted from Division 2 and one team demoted from division 1 each season. In the event of a third eleven team winning the league from a club, there would be no movement of teams.” This can be at the discretion of the branch at the AGM.
8. All competitions for Cup and League shall be fixed for a specified time and date. Any team failing to begin a match at the scheduled time shall be liable to forfeit the match. Prior to league matches, both teams must exchange score sheets with the list of the team. After the match the umpire must fill in the score on the sheets, sign them and return them to the Captain’s who will forward them to the fixtures secretary. The fixtures secretary must receive the score sheet within five days of the match. Failure to do this will result in a fine of €25. An incorrect name on a returned score sheet will incur a €6 fine. (An incorrect name is a name which differs from the name by which the player was registered).
9. League or Cup matches may not be postponed or rearranged except in exceptional circumstances’, before which the consent of the Hon. Fixtures secretary must be obtained. Failure to do this will result in a €65 euro fine for each team and the match cannot be re-arranged. Teams that give a walkover will be fined €25. However, if ground or weather conditions render play impossible on the date fixed the match shall be played on the next available date, subject to the approval of the Hon. Fixtures sec. A match may be postponed if two or more players (or four or more school representatives) are engaged in representatives or trial matches, and similarly re-arranged; school matches are not included.
10. Fixtures lists shall be sent to the selection committees, by the fixture secretary as soon as arranged.
11. The home team shall confirm the fixture at least 4 days before the match.
12. Umpires may coach his/her team, but not during play.
13. All first division teams shall play a minimum of 35 minutes each way in all league matches. All second division teams shall play a minimum of 30 minutes each way in all league matches. All Cup matches shall be 35 minutes each way. In the event of a draw in cup matches, and provided that the umpires decide that the conditions permit, 20 minutes extra time shall be played, the teams changing ends after 10 minutes play. If after this period the tie is still undecided, the match will go to a replay followed by 20 minutes extra time if required. If after this extra time the match is still undecided, penalty flicks shall take place.
14. In the league two players per club may play for two teams on any one day but can only do so twice in the season. Infringement of this rule; winning or drawing team will lose points, losing team will pay €65 euro fine.
15. Registration for the cup
• Eleven players are nominated for each team seven days in advance of the first Cup match of the season, and must be registered in order of merit, subject to the approval of the registration committee.
• In the case of non availability of any nominated player for the first eleven, two players from the second eleven may play up on one occasion and still be entitled to play for the second eleven. This rule will apply likewise to the second eleven vis-avis third eleven, subject to the approval of the registration committee or
• Players may sub up on two occasions after which they become cup tied. A sub is a player who travels with the team and who does not commence play with the team at the start of the game, but is a player who takes the place of a player who comes off during the match.
• Each member of any competing team shall be a bonafide member of the club and shall have played in one league match in the current season before playing in the cup. Cup fees must be paid at the time of the registration for the cup. Failure to do so will result inforfeiting a place in the cup comprtition.
• Lowest ranking teams of each club may register a maximum of 20 players for the cup completion. These must be registered in order of merit as a panel of 16 plus 4 reserves.
16. All cup games shall be held at a neutral astro-turf venue, if available, unless otherwise agreed by both parties.
17. The winners of the division 1 league shall go forward to represent the southeast in an interprovincial tournament.
18. The winners of the division 1 cup, along with the winners and runners-up of the League shall go forward to represent the south east in the irish junior cup. In the event of the same team qualifying twice using this selection procedure, then the team positioned third in the division 1 league shall be nominated(see rule 7)
19. The council reserves the right to change fixtures in the case of unforeseen circumstances during the season. Any team that plays competitive hockey within the branch in breach of the branch rules and regulations shall be penalised as seen fit by the council.
20. The winners and runners up of the division 1 league of the previous season will be seeded for the first round of the cup in the present season.