Stakeholders welcome return of Gaelic games

GAA pitches around Kerry re-opened last Wednesday, while contact training among teams was permitted from last Monday. John O’Dowd spoke to some of the stakeholders about returning to play at the long Covid-19 enforced break

JOE COOLAHAN (Tarbert)

“I was down this morning (Sunday) with our under-16s, my own young fella was there, and it’s great to see them back out on the field training and getting back with their friends.

“The social element is massive. They’ve been socially distancing, socially isolating for the last few months, they haven’t been at school. They haven’t been able to exercise and release some of the pent-up energy. They do that playing sport. It’s a great outlet, they come home tired, they rest, it’s a big benefit.

“At this point in time, the virus is suppressed in the community. The stages that are being taken are welcome, but they’re also being done in a measured way. We do need to be mindful that it hasn’t gone away and that we may get a resurgence. When we do, or if we do, we take the appropriate steps again.

“The transmission rate nationally is very low. As an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in University Hospital Kerry, we’re seeing a lot less admissions to hospital with Covid-19, a lot less intensive care usage, and I think the markers would indicate that at a community level, particularly rurally, the virus is suppressed sufficiently that we can get back to some element of normality.

“We will probably have a second wave of this, particularly it may be imported from elsewhere. So far, the Government and NPHET have managed this very well and I have no doubt they will continue to do so.

“On our return-to-play protocols, the GAA have good expertise on their own panel and this is the advice coming down. It has been challenging. The only thing that I would criticise is that they brought forward the start date. We were aiming for pitches opening on the 29th, and that was changed to the 24th.

“We were then struggling to catch up and put in all the necessary signage and the sanitation service that had to be put in place. That would be my only quibble with it. It’s important as a GAA club rooted in the community that we look after the community. That’s our responsibility.

“The prioritisation of the club side of it is very welcome. On the club v county debate that’s brewing, we have to take into account where we’ve come from, a situation where all activity was closed down. We’re coming from a life and death scenario when we look at Covid-19.

“We have to look at the broader picture. The GAA is a recreational activity for our players. They have given us a roadmap to get back training and playing and I’d hope that, no more than us at a club level, there would be the same compliance at county level.

“The lads at inter-county level, I’m sure they’ve all maintained their fitness, they’ve all maintained their individual programmes. Now they will benefit more from playing competitive games with their clubs before going back to the inter-county scene.”

THE MANAGER

DEREK MOYNIHAN (Rathmore)

“IT’S a relief for the players and for everybody in the community to be getting back, especially after all the uncertainty of the previous months. Thankfully, we have come through that unscathed.

“Covid-19 was difficult for us as a management. It forced us to think outside the box. We had our weekly Zoom sessions with the lads, and various remote team bonding sessions.

“Fellas were tipping away doing their own work too, they enjoyed it, they needed some bit of an outlet. The collective element of being part of a squad is a big help to them. Every other social outlet was on the shelf. We have a lot of young players too, and it was our respon- sibility to integrate all of them into the group.

“2019 was a bitter pill to swallow, but the players have come back with the right attitude. Playing in the intermediate championship was a great carrot for the lads. Our ambition is to get out of the group first, try and win the competition and get back up to senior level.

“It’s going to be desperately difficult, especially with quarter-finals now. There are fierce challenges there. The lads are definitely hurting, after not performing in the relegation game last year. A lot of them will feel that they have a lot to prove.

“We would have hoped the club championships would have finished before the county championship. Now it will be fragmented, and that’s a problem for all the clubs. With the county championship, and then Kerry’s campaign, the latter stages might not be played until up to Christmas.

“We feel that’s very unfair on club players, especially if the coronavirus was to surge again. I know district championships will be on in between, but they will be sparse enough. East Kerry would expect to be in the latter stages of the county championship.

“We have a big squad, obviously a few will be in with East Kerry, but we will still have quality and quantity. It is going to be tricky though. Aidan O’Mahony is club captain for the year. He was 40 about three weeks ago, but is still applying himself so well. He’s a great leader for us and is maturing well! Long may he last!

“On the question of the club v county debate, we would be hoping that the diktat from Croke Park would be respected. We understand the needs of the county team, but we would be looking for our inter-county players to be allowed remain with the club until the group stages of the club championships would be completed.”

THE FOOTBALLER

JOHN PAYNE (Dr Crokes)

“IT was a bit of a shock to get

the pitches open last Wednesday because I didn’t see it coming. There was a period where I thought they were going to call it off for the year. I was following the Premier League, and when they weren’t going back, I was saying we’re definitely not going back.

“When the Premier League started again, that was the light at the end of the tunnel for me. I’m a Liverpool fan! The title was long overdue. I’ve been waiting all my life. Three years ago, I wouldn’t have seen it happening. But, looking at last year and with Klopp, there was optimism. There’s all the talk about statistics, but to be able to man-manage and communicate the stats to players, and to keep them motivated, that is Klopp’s great trait.

“As a postman, I’ve been an essential worker since Covid-19 started. I’ve been dealing with a lot of people and taking all the precautions. It had to be done. It’s great to be coming out the other side now. Football will bring the whole community back together, there was nothing to talk about, nothing to argue about. A lot of people were lost.

“Fellas have been doing their own work but, collectively, nobody was at it. Everybody is in the same boat. All the club action is going to be condensed into a few weeks. If you pick up injuries in the first game, you could have a completely different team for the next week. Injury prevention is the key.

“I’ve been looking at all the injuries in the Premier League and the Bundesliga before that. How do you manage that in an amateur game? Injuries will have an impact on the outcome of every competition.

“I’ve always believed that county championship should be knockout anyway. The back door defeats the purpose of a championship. There will be a few strange results because we don’t know what form anybody is going to be in.

“With the break, everybody is dying to get back in. Fellas just want to be around their buddies again and having a bit of craic. That’s the core value of it all.

“We lost four finals last year, and that’s criminal. Whatever reasons you can make, like tiredness, we just didn’t perform in any of them and were beaten on the day by the better teams. We have more to offer. It was a disappointing season, but I suppose getting to four finals wasn’t the worst outcome. We’re still there.”

THE HURLER AND DUAL PLAYER

MIKEY BOYLE (Ballyduff)

“I’M delighted to see the pitches open, it’s great to be back. It’s been tormenting doing nothing at home. Running on the road was not the same, and it’s been hard to keep the appetite up.

“I’m not a bit worried about going back, I can’t wait. The three kids (Killian 14, Abbey 10 and Bobby

7) keep me

on my toes most days, pucking and kicking out the back with them. We had our Zoom calls and stuff with Kerry, and you’re doing your own bit, but it was impossible to keep the hunger going when you hadn’t a clue when you would be back playing.

“The only thing different for the dual player is that there won’t be much time now in between games. But you have a job to do in both codes, so you have to do it. You would be afraid of picking up an injury. That’s the only worry really. Nothing much changes. I’m out most nights anyway! The wifetoGillian Lucid, is a patient woman!

“It’s great to be going back in with the club first before getting carried away with Kerry. You would be missing a lot for years, so it’s nice to be able to train full-time with the lads. My possible schedule is going to be crazy, but there’s not much that we can do.

“We were giving out when we didn’t have games, so it’s a good complaint to have now. I’m looking forward to getting back out there. If everything goes well, it will take a toll on the body. I’m 32 now, but you’re aiming for it to go well, you’re trying to win everything.

“Our first football game will be against Fossa and you love to play against the best. David Clifford is the best footballer in the county. It will be cool to be on the same field as him. I don’t know how we will mark him though. Maybe we’ll put five or six players on him! Not me though! I wouldn’t last too long on him! I’ll be down the opposite side of the field. “The county hurling championship will be knock-out, so anything can happen. You have to go out all guns blazing, no foot can be taken off the pedal. One slip-up and you’re gone. Knock-out might actually suit Ballyduff. A lot of teams won’t like to meet us first anyway.”