GPA: End all pre-season competitions
THE GAA’s pre-season intercounty competitions are on borrowed time after a motion to ditch them received a majority of player support.
Over 100 players from across the country gathered at the Midlands Park Hotel in Portlaoise yesterday for the Annual General Meeting of the Gaelic Players Association and this key motion was backed by 90 per cent of those present.
Proposed by the GPA National Executive Committee, it surely signals the death knell for the likes of the O’Byrne Cup and McKenna Cup which are used by managers as preparation for the leagues.
But those same competitions have been downgraded amidst the changing intercounty calendar and a compressed season with the GPA very clear about the logic for their removal – ‘An adequate pre-season window is required post return-to play date in late November. Starting competitive games in early January does not facilitate an effective graduated increase in training load, ahead of the league, driving pressure to return to training before the official sanctioned date and increasing cumulative demand on players across the calendar year.’
The passing of this motion then raises serious questions about the viability of any such competitions in 2024. Especially when third level competitions are fighting for space in the same early stage of the year leading to annual conflicts over availability.
As the GAA prepares to unveil its master fixture list for 2024, the support for this motion surely has to be factored in.
Unsurprisingly, a motion calling on the GAA/LGFA/Camogie Association to provide improved injury coverage, addressing the inadequacy of the current insurance in safeguarding intercounty players from financial loss, was passed unanimously.
It was submitted by Clare hurler Shane O’Donnell who suffered a well-documented concussion injury and was forced to sit out a part of the 2021 season. It also required him to spend a portion of time on sick leave from work.
A motion to increase the GPA’s representation on the GAA’s Central Council from one to two members was passed unanimously, as was another motion to amend past player GPA membership eligibility from five years to three years on an intercounty panel.
The election of new members of the GPA’s National Executive Committee also took place. The following players were elected: Aisling Maher (Dublin camogie), Kieran Lillis (Laois Football), Damien Comer (Galway football) and Cora Staunton (Mayo football). They replace Aoife Murray (Cork camogie), Ciaran Kilkenny (Dublin football), Philip Greene (Sligo football) and Niamh Hanniffy (Galway camogie).