Knockout’s the only way
Wexford captain favours an open draw championship
WEXFORD SENIOR football captain Brian Malone believes the only way forward is the holding of knockout championships at both club and inter-county level, to be run side by side.
The Shelmaliers clubman, speaking as the Covid-19 crisis continues to grip the country, said: ‘At present I don’t see any other way forward as we head towards the month of May.
‘I cannot see any way back, possibly before the end of June at very earliest, so, given the dual nature of our games, I believe that a knockout championship is now facing us.
‘We could run club and inter-county side by side. Should we get back, sacrifices will have to be made. Given the year that’s in it, it’s not going to be like any other year,’ he added.
‘It would mean players having to play mid-week, and on successive weekends, but I believe players would be prepared to go with that. The players understand the year, and the pandemic that has hit the country, so I don’t see any problem.
‘Midweek should not create a problem, it may mean players having to make sacrifices, but then again we train midweek, play games midweek, so I believe the players would go with this for the championship at both club and inter-county for one year.’
Malone cannot see the championships being run off in their current format given that the National League completion is also up in the air, with two rounds of group games still to be played in football.
‘I’d love to see a knockout championship, an open draw, in neutral or home venues,’ he said, echoing the comments of former Wexford full-back and manager Liam Fardy in this newspaper a couple of weeks ago.
‘It would be great for the players, as at least they would have a championship that can be completed within the calendar year.
‘We’ll have to wait and see, first and foremost, if there will be any championship. Hopefully down the road we will see one.
‘We just don’t know what’s coming down the road for us, or if Covid-19 will hit us harder. So it puts everything very much on hold.
‘At the moment it all leads to speculation as to when a championship, club or inter-county, will start, or if at all. Ultimately the G.A.A. is still a hobby for us all. As much as we obsess about it and put our lives on hold for it, it’s still a hobby.
‘At the moment it’s all about people’s health. You’d like to believe that they will get this virus under control and protect people. That’s what is important at the moment when you look at the scale of events unravelling in our own country and across the world.
‘While it would be great to get a timeframe for a championship, people’s health and adhering to the restrictions come first,’ Malone continued.
Some light will be shone on the plans next Friday when a remote special Congress will be held to help decide the fate of the inter-county championships.
A teacher in St. Peter’s College, that makes him acutely aware of the concerns facing parents in relation to the later holding of the Leaving Certificate.
Since all schools have been closed, there was much speculation regarding the examinations, with some clarity arriving on Friday when it was announced that the Leaving has been postponed until late July or August, while the Junior Certificate exams have been cancelled and will be replaced by school-based assessments.
‘It’s a difficult time for students and parents being left in doubt, but hopefully there will be a way found around it,’ Malone said, on the day prior to the update being announced by the Department of Education.
Wexford’s longest serving inter-county Senior footballer and the record appearance holder with 166, Malone - while itching to get back into competitive action - is finding a way to keep fit.
While on this enforced break from football, Malone is utilising the space around him to maintain a level of fitness.
‘I live in Screen, so luckily I have a big garden at the back of the house. I utilise this for exercise, while we have also been given a programme to undertake during the enforced break.
‘We may not have all the gymtype equipment available at home but we are getting around it. We all have some type of material at home.’
For now he is managing, but the 33-year-old is looking forward to getting back.
‘Keeping motivated the longer the lockdown continues presents its own challenges.
‘You can continue tipping away, but the longer it goes on, it makes it very hard.
‘You just have to plan your days and weeks but it’s difficult without a timeframe.
‘Whenever we are back, it’s going to be a huge challenge, as fitness levels may not be the same, but we will be ready as best we can.’
‘The thing is, when it comes to fitness, everyone is going to be in the same boat,’ Malone added.
‘For the present, let’s continue to play our part in getting rid of this virus.’
OVERLEAF: Dave Devereux runs through the highlights reel with Brian on his career to date.