It’s a waiting game for return to sports action

IT’S safe to say all in the GAA world across the country were taken by surprise that the inter county players and teams were no longer classed as ‘elite’ players and thus a return to action during the current level 5 restrictions is prohibitive.

The GAA at national level will be hoping for an early return to inter county training and action but with the sound bites from government intimating that the current restrictions will be extended until Easter it certainly looks like the national leagues and provincial championships will be pushed out to May and beyond.

While there have been calls to flip the proposed GAA season around and allow the club season to run first, as last year, and play the inter county championships from October once again, one must remember that under the previous ‘ living with Covid’ plan club games were only allowed under level two restrictions.

It remains to be seen what format the new ‘ living with Covid’ plan, to be announced in the coming weeks, will show and will there be a clear plan as to when GAA action at both club and inter county can return to action.

Certainly, the GAA inter county season from October to Christmas last year gave a great lift to the country, especially during the level five restrictions in late October and November. For the mental wellbeing of the country, if the GAA can contribute to this in a positive way a return to action on the gaelic games front would be welcome.

For now, with Lent beginning, we must all do our penance over the coming weeks in advance of a hoped for feast of GAA activity in the summer months.

At local level, Cork GAA were hoping to have a restricted league programme begin from Easter weekend, with club championships for 2021 to begin in July. These dates must be in grave doubt, so it is a matter of wait and see over the coming weeks before it becomes clearer as to when GAA action can resume at all levels.