New format could create even more problems for clubs

IF FURTHER proof was needed that the G.A.A. is unable to provide clubs with championship games through the key summer months was needed, the new set of hurling proposals brought in by Special Congress are seen as only adding to the plight that faces the ordinary club player.

The proposals reveal that for the dual county little will change, while for the majority of counties they will face a similar fixtures dilemma which has been prevalent in counties ever since the qualifiers were introduced to the championship title race.

On top of the hurling proposals, one also has the newly introduced football round-robin with eight teams battling it out at the All-Ireland quarter-final stage.

The newly-laid hurling proposals came from the top down, with Croke Park leading the way, but many counties have much to answer for as they failed to lead, with Wexford as a dual county being particularly culpable in this scenario.

The proposals were left with the clubs until the final week of the Special Congress when a special County Board meeting was called to decide where the county’s support lay.

There was little logic in this given that the Croke Park proposals were added to by proposals from other counties, but Wexford decided that just a two-hour debate was sufficient to determine their approach to voting.

The reality is that Wexford failed to provide leadership, since these are proposals that should have been discussed in detail over several meetings, with even the club players being represented to air their views on the motions and what they would bring to the plate for them.

Wexford by their haphazard approach failed to protect the players and, given the fall-out as to when inter-county games will be played through 2018, the county at club level could face an even more serious dilemma than it does at present.

First of all it is now believed that the National League will start at the end of January, with the Walsh Cup and O’Byrne Cup being played off in early January. The leagues will be played through to the finals in March, with the county football and hurling activity resuming in May, being played out through June, July and August.

Wexford, who run their championships on a league basis, have always tried to fit in a minimum of two early round club championship games prior to the provincial championships opening up, but despite this, and even without the county moving beyond the All-Ireland Senior hurling quarter-final stage, they have been forced into a blitz championship through August, September and October, with clubs having to play hurling and football on successive weekends right through to the final stage.

Nobody can see Wexford fitting in two rounds of hurling and two rounds of football in April, as managers grapple for their inter-county players to continue their preparations for a May championship date, and four round-robin games, which will decide their season.

Strange as it may seem, Wexford County Board by their failure to give due consideration to the hurling proposals will increase the plight of the clubs since one can envisage few, if any, championship games being played before the commencement of the provincial championship.

This will possibly leave a county like Wexford, given its dual status, with a fixtures dilemma that could take them well into November to complete the domestic programme.

Clubs are struggling. The standard in Wexford is suffering given the fixture programme being handed out to players.

Take the St. Martin’s plight, and even that of Starlights. St. Martin’s have been playing hurling and football on succesive weekends, qualifying for the Senior hurling final, and playing a Senior football replay this Sunday, so it’s a momentous achievement for the club and players to still be delivering.

But their game is beginning to suffer, as players become drained both physically and mentally, so it would be a wonderful achievement if they were to lift silverware over the next few weeks. However, a week’s break will not be forthcoming.

The support base has also been drained. Just 4,460 attended last Sunday’s Senior hurling semi-finals, while 1,377 attended the previous day’s Intermediate games, that included a county final.

The supporters are also voting with their feet given the expense of attending a blitz-style championship.