Armagh facing frosty reaction to Portuguese warm-weather training jaunt

ARMAGH are heading for a showdown with Croke Park over a warm-weather training camp which is prohibited by rule.

It’s understood that the Armagh squad have travelled to Portugal for intensive training ahead of their Ulster quarterfinal clash with Fermanagh in Enniskillen on May 19.

GAA rules preclude full-time training camps – either at home or abroad – unless they take place in the ten-day period before a county’s first provincial championship game.

The penalty for violation is loss of home venue for one game in the following year’s Allianz League.

If Armagh, who won promotion to Division 2 this year, are found to have breached the rules, they will forego home advantage for their first league game, scheduled for the Athletic Grounds next year.

That would lead to a loss of revenue from ground rent as well as reducing their chances of picking up the points in what will be a very competitive group.

MONITORING

They will also face a strong reprimand from Croke Park, who are monitoring the application of the training camp rule as well as regulations regarding challenge games. The ban on training camps in April was brought in to create more room for club activity.

And while there has been mixed reaction to leaving the month free of county games, it’s now an official regulation.

Armagh are not the only county facing possible sanctions.

It’s understood that Croke Park are also examining reports that some other counties have been on training weekends this month. They too could be facing the loss of a home league fixture in 2019.

“The rules about all of this are clear and if we find they have been breached by any county the agreed sanctions will be imposed,” said Games Administration manager Fergal McGill.