Several sporting challenges lie ahead

BY way of filling their schedule and satisfying the appetite for sport, any sport, TV channels are relying on old footage of past games.

Last week, one channel, Eir sport, aired a repeat of a magazine feature they compiled shortly after Dundalk’s memorable European campaign in 2016.

The review featured a number of the games in which Dundalk were involved and extensive interviews with players and manager, Stephen Kenny.

It brought back a lot of great memories for many, but afterwards there was the nagging concern that sport not just in the country, but in throughout the world may never be the same again as the result of the havoc that Covid-19 is creating. Will Dundalk FC survive ? Will the GAA have the funds to help Louth build their new stadium ?

Will a number of golf clubs in the area open again ?

Will small clubs, the backbone of the community, be able to maintain their grounds without the money they generate from fund raising projects ?

These, and many other questions, that cannot be answered at this stage, are occupying the minds of those who administer our sport and those who enjoy those sports.

Of course there are more worrying issues like the health of loved ones, and people losing their jobs and businesses, but sport is a vital ingredient in the social fabric of society.

We’ll all need the enjoyment that it gives when this is all over, and hopefully the sports we love can survive.

Aerial shot of new Louth GAA pitch.