Brennan slams ‘short memories’ of GAA critics after U-20 call

FORMER GAA president Nickey Brennan has claimed critics of the Association have “short memories” after another traumatic day on the Covid-19 frontline.

The lunchtime announcement that the GAA was pausing all inter-county minor and U-20 matches had been inevitable once reports emerged that only adult inter-county games would be exempted under Level 5 restrictions, introduced from midnight.

It was a particularly crushing setback for the Dublin and Galway U-20 footballers, who were due to clash in an All-Ireland final this Saturday. Brennan blamed poor messaging from the Government for the confusion.

“It would have been better if everyone was in sync. The GAA (should have) been told in advance this was going to be the outcome, that all underage sport was going to stop,” the Kilkenny man argued.

And he insisted those criticising the GAA for pressing ahead with senior inter-county championships are “missing the point”.

While accepting that post-club final “activities” played some part in rising case numbers of Covid, Brennan stressed the inter-county scene is very different and people are “wrong to be tagging the two.

“There’s a reason why the intercounty game is going ahead: because Government, from the outset, are keen to have these games,” he said.

“It’s their belief that people being able to watch games on their television or streaming service is going to be good for their mental health over the next couple of months, and that’s the background to why.”