NO MARKS FOR GAA ON MINOR SCHEDULE
MONAGHAN minor boss Mark Counihan has described the lack of clarity on the 2020 minor campaign in the GAA’S latest fixture schedule as “a kick in the stomach”.
Counihan’s side qualified for the 2020 Ulster minor football semi-final against Fermanagh in December before the return to Level 5 restrictions in the Republic of Ireland saw the competition suspended.
As well as the other Ulster semifinal between Derry and Tyrone, the Offaly-meath Leinster final has yet to be played, while Roscommon and Kerry are due to meet in the
All-ireland semi-final.
The 2020 minor hurling Championship also has three outstanding games along with two in under-20 hurling.
While the GAA restated its commitment to completing those competitions when issuing the 2021 county schedule last week, it said details on the incomplete 2020 underage competitions would be finalised “when there is clarity on a return to training/ play date” from the Government.
However, Counihan (inset) believes that an aspirational date could have been set, to provide at least some clarity for players.
A teacher in St Macartan’s College, he believes that July is the most realistic timeframe for the restart given the fast approaching Leaving Cert in June.
He said: “We were told we were being prioritised and then to get nothing back, it was a big kick in the stomach to not even make the roadmap and all anybody wants is a bit of certainty and if it’s July, so be it.
“It’s not what we wanted or anything else but we’d accept that and at least you can plan for something and you can organise but you’re trying to keep boys motivated and trying to keep them switched on and you’re trying to keep them enthused about the whole thing and it’s very, very hard when we can’t get any clarity.”
He added: “I know the Leaving Cert is in June but it’s a reduced Leaving Cert, there’ll be very few boys taking much more than three or four exams and they can come back into the panel when they’re finished.”
We were told we would be the priority