Club Championships - Void?

Was just playing around with this idea in my head because of the problems over Creggan potentially having underage players and Ballysaggart looking for the junior hurling crown. Creggan claim it's a new year, therefore they are overage, Ballysaggart are saying it's one competition and looking at the rule book they are right.

Rule 6.24 states: The County, Provincial and All-Ireland Stages of the respective Club Senior, Intermediate and Junior
Football and Hurling Championships constitute the one competition.

With that in mind, I also believe that it is illegal for new rules to be introduced into a competition once it has started, thus at intercounty level, rules voted through at April Congress never come into effect until the following January. So, given the new playing rules were introduced in what the GAA defines as mid-competition, am I right in saying that Dr Crokes, Ballinderry, Loughgiel, Na Piarsaigh, Clooney Gaels, Youghal, Kilnadeema-Leitrim, Calry/St Joseph's, Fullen Gaels, Creggan, Emyvale, Keel, Fuerty, Clyda, Geraldines and Kiltane, if they challenged, would have to be reinstated into the All Ireland-series of hurling and football at junior, intermediate and senior level because the games were played under rules that were illegally introduced?

Probably.................

The rules have got so complicated that they probably contain loads of contradictions.

TommyKeegan wrote:

I also believe that it is illegal for new rules to be introduced into a competition once it has started

Under what rule?

Don't have rulebook here with me, but it's my belief that the rules you begin a competition to as regards playing and non-playing couldn't be changed, thus rules brought in at Congress as an example never start until following January. Open to correction, maybe someone could enlighten me?

I remember the last set of new rules brought in (2012 I think) which involved change to square ball rule etc. These were brought in at congress and effective immediately even though most counties would have already played a few games in their respective leagues which would not have been finished yet but to the best of my knowledge no county went back and started said leagues from scratch!!

Didn't realise that. Not saying they would go back and start from scratch, just wondering if one kicked up, would they have a case?