Bigger picture is more important if fixtures decimated

WE’RE IN the realms of speculation. Currently the G.A.A. is in a two-week lockdown to stem the spread of coronavirus. Few are confident that it will end there and not be extended.

However, if the lockdown continues into April and possibly beyond, the whole fixtures calendar both at club and inter-county levels will need to be revisited.

Coronavirus’s affect on sport has been worldwide, but once news of the suspension of sport hit there was immediate disruption to the Allianz Leagues both in hurling and football.

Among the casualties was the hurling quarter-final involving Wexford and Galway, while the county’s Division 4 football game away to Limerick was also among the matches called off.

Disruption to the Allianz Football League and significant change to the All-Ireland Senior football championship unfortunately seem to go hand in hand.

Ahead of the introduction of the All-Ireland Senior football championship qualifiers in 2001, the league was adversely affected by the outbreak of foot and mouth disease, albeit with only a slight knock-on effect into championships.

Now the coronavirus crisis is casting doubt over not only the league but the planned introduction of a tier two championship, the Tailteann Cup.

Potential involvement in that new competition depends on finishing positions in this year’s league, specifically Division 2 and Division 3.

However, if the league cannot be completed, especially with the April club month to be factored in, there will be much debate over which counties should be in the Tailteann Cup or whether it should even take place this year.

A case may be made now, in the event of not being able to complete the league, that current standings should apply, but that scenario would lead to many arguments before a decision could be arrived at.

With speculation growing each day with the continuous spread of coronavirus, coinciding with the structural change, the impact is expected to be far greater.

A major difference between the foot and mouth and coronavirus scenarios was that Gaelic games were able to proceed in most counties in 2001, although grinding to a halt in some others.

But the general feeling is that the jig may be up for the G.A.A. calendar as it now stands both at club and inter-county level.

Sport may not only fall victim to the two-week lockdown, but could stretch out over a three-month period, which would leave the slated G.A.A. calendar in total disarray.

Further disruption can be expected over the coming months, as even when the go-ahead is given to resume sporting activity, clubs and counties will need time to resume preparations before any game schedule is adhered to.

The crisis is the most difficult in the history of the Association, but once the pandemic was declared, all was lost, with huge consequences for clubs and counties.

The risk is that if this situation is to continue for any given time, the world could fall into recession, leaving sport very much on the periphery.

People are making adjustments to their lives like never before, with many now working from home where feasible, with the general public reeling at the potential health dangers resulting from the virus.

The G.A.A., like all sporting organisations, must now plan a way out of this. But one can expect G.A.A. games to be pushed back several months before there’s a return to active participation.

Clubs and counties will suffer should the lockdown continue through April. The championships, not just the leagues, both at club and county levels will need to be revisited.

The fear is that the G.A.A. could yet have to return to a different championship format at both club and county levels in order to have completion in 2020.

Against the current backdrop, contingency plans will need to be put in place over the coming weeks.

Already the April club month looks a non-runner, but whatever the outcome, the impact of the coronavirus has left everyone running scared.