‘T’ IS FOR TROUBLE AHEAD AS CUP LACKS WILL TO SUCCEED
EVERYONE was on message in Croke Park last Monday when the great and the good gathered to finally cut the ribbon on the Tailteann Cup. The captains of each competing county had come together the night before and a cynic might suggest that they were encouraged in what to say, or not to say, about the competition that begins in Aughrim this afternoon when Wicklow meet Waterford. In fairness, it’s hard to argue about a lot of what was said. It is a rare opportunity for these teams to play at headquarters, as well as being a chance to develop young players. And it is a chance to win some silverware. It might take a couple of years for the competition to find its feet, but first impressions do matter. So, the fact that Wexford and Offaly were the first names out of the hat – only weeks after their clash in the Leinster championship – didn’t look good. The GAA insist that regionalising the competition – which was actually included in the small print when this came into effect – is to do with re-igniting local rivalries and to keep costs down for supporters. But it is also keeping costs down for county boards, who ultimately will need to buy into the Tailteann Cup if it is to thrive. It will be interesting to see how it progresses over the coming weeks. There is plenty of merit in the competition and it is something that the GAA needed to do. However, once it finds its own feet, there are creases which need to be ironed out. In the future, the Tailteann Cup final needs to be held in conjunction with the All-Ireland final. If not on the same day, perhaps on the Saturday evening before. Until it is afforded a billing like that, the GAA’s newest competition will always be considered an afterthought.