A happy ending – but lessons must be learned

IN THE end, an imaginative assessment of the rule book delivered a happy ending. The Liam Miller benefit match will go ahead at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in fitting tribute to the deceased Cork sports icon who played all our key sports with distinction. This controversy was not just a sporting issue. It had huge impact in our social relations, in our politics and all through the wider Irish community.

This ugly row was also replete with irony. Not least was that, just as tens of thousands of sports fans converged upon match venues every weekend to see some stirring Gaelic games, the GAA administrators had scored one of the greatest own goals in recent Irish sporting history.

Now this unseemly incident needs a thorough review and important lessons must be learned and change must be implemented.

Some of those participating in the public debate did not distinguish themselves. Some would-be GAA defenders were selectively mercenary in their arguments, and some excessive GAA critics were depressingly reminiscent of Irish sports apartheid in former decades.

There is no doubt that there was a groundswell of support among GAA members and supporters that the soccer benefit game should be played at the largest Cork venue to maximise all the aspects of a great sporting occasion in a great sporting city. The outcomes of a 2016 GAA congress was really another sad example of the law of unintended consequences.

Once they have shown this innovative approach to a tricky problem, our key GAA leaders must move on. They must move to allow more flexibility in the use of their facilities, often handsomely grant-aided by the taxpayer, for the benefit of the wider community.