Gaining an edge amid pandemic? YOU BLUE IT

SYMPATHY SHORT FOR DESSIE AND THE DUBS

ABSOLUTELY no collective training before April 19, said the GAA on Tuesday night. Hold my drink, said Dublin. Early the following morning, at least nine players from the six-in-a-row All-ireland winners gathered for a training session at Innisfails GAA Club’s grounds, 20 days in advance of when they were permitted to do so.

And questions will inevitably be asked as to whether this was the first time.

To put some context on how great a difference 20 days can make in a pandemic of this nature, go back to September 14, when the previous ban on inter-county training was lifted.

On that day, there were 208 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the Republic of Ireland. On August 25, there were just 92. But by October 18, on the weekend that competitive inter-county games commenced, the second wave of the virus in this country peaked with 1,283 cases, with the fallout from county final celebrations around the country a contributory factor and a source of embarrassment for Croke Park.

It’s something that has been thrown at the GAA repeatedly since by those who place no store on Gaelic games and were frustrated that inter-county games could proceed last winter while activities that they are more closely aligned with couldn’t.

The GAA didn’t need its flagship team giving the naysayers another stick to beat them with or possibly placing the April 19 restart in danger for all counties.

Yesterday there were 761 cases at the back of a third wave that dwarfed the previous two, with a fourth lurking dangerously.

Who knows where we’ll be come April 19?

Cork and Down have been punished for breaching the latest training ban in January, and Dublin have acted promptly by taking action against manager Dessie Farrell.

While the timing of Dublin’s exposure brings further embarrassment for the GAA, it would have been utterly disastrous had it occurred last week, before the Government had decided to restore the exemption for inter-county training.

Evidently, Dublin aren’t the only county to have tried to steal a march by gathering at a time when collective training is not permitted since the Covid-19 pandemic took hold just over a year ago.

But it’s not true to say that every county is at it either.

The disclaimer that the Dublin footballers were posing little or no health risk to anybody by gathering outdoors doesn’t cut it.

The players didn’t come together at dawn for the sake of partaking in some leisurely exercise in order to boost their general wellbeing.

They were clearly there because it was felt it would be to their benefit from a competitive viewpoint.

Remember, there is so much running in Dublin’s favour as it is. The capital’s vast population means that Dublin GAA’S ability to generate revenue far outstrips that of any other county and, to their credit, they’re effectively maxing out on that these days with a full-time commercial and marketing manager.

That commercial might is largely why the portion of central games development funding allocated to Dublin, which dwarfs that of every other county, grates so much.

For the record, Dublin received €19,260,338 in coaching money from Croke Park between 2007 and 2019, with Cork next on €2,425,287.

Since 2010, Dublin have played 71 Championship games and 64 of them (90 per cent) have been at Croke Park, which is well established as their home ground since they moved their League games from Parnell Park 11 years ago.

No other county enjoys a perk even remotely close to that.

So, as if that wasn’t enough, the team that already benefits from myriad advantages over its rivals was trying to gain yet another by breaking both Government regulations and GAA rules at a time when only 10 people can attend funerals, golf courses remain closed, children are deprived from gathering for sports activities and the construction industry is still on hold.

And for what?

To gain an edge for an Allireland semi-final in maybe four months’ time?

Because so much is stacked in their favour already, that’ll be their first big test of 2021.

Well, maybe.