WE JUST HAVE TO ACCEPT WE ARE IN A RUT..
ÉABHA RUTLEDGE is backing GAA president John Horan’s claim that Gaelic games can’t resume until social distancing is no more.
The All-ireland winner with Dublin was initially hopeful that the government’s five-phase roadmap would pave the way for a July return.
“It was kind of uplifting to know that we were going to get there soon,” said the Kilmacud Crokes player.
But realism soon set in. “I know the LGFA said in their statement that they’re working continuously with the GAA, and John Horan was saying that as long as social distancing is in place that the Championship just won’t be able to go ahead.
“I agree with him on that because you don’t want to be putting players and families at risk.
“They’re saying that as much as they’re different to rugby and soccer, they’re still very much contact sports. And as long as contact distancing is there, I don’t think there’s a way that we could play the Championship.
“I’m just trying to stay positive and optimistic about it. We’ll just train as if it is going ahead. I’ll keep that as my goal for now.”
Rutledge sees the lockdown as “bad timing for everyone”, and not just herself, having only become established in Mick Bohan’s starting line-up in 2019 following years of frustration.
The JP Morgan fund manager had spent three years in the Dublin set-up when, in January of last year, she told Bohan she was ready to take time away from it after watching others make the breakthrough she craved.
“I did nearly drop the head and my confidence level, it just really got very low,” she admitted.
Rutledge had been in the States on a J1 visa in 2017, so 2018 had been her first year working with Bohan.
He told her it could take another year to break in, which she took as a positive.
Given a week to think things over, Rutledge rang him back with a transformed attitude and, switching from the forward line to the backline, earned a starting spot for last year’s All-ireland triumph.
Having reached her goal, Rutledge feels it would have been
“foolish” to accept an approach to participate in AFLW trials in UCD last November – and possibly following in the footsteps of Dubs Niamh Mcevoy and Sinead Mcgoldrick.
She listened with interest to Mayo boss Peter Leahy’s comments that the four star players on his panel who played this season in Australia must pick one or the other in 2021.
“It has grown a lot here in Ireland,” said Rutledge.
“This year there were 13 or 14 players out of the county scene over playing AFL.
“If too many players go it will cause an issue with the League and Championship down the line.
“I haven’t faced that with our county.
“But for other counties relying on their star players, it could be tough when they’re away for half the year.”