Sean: Games behind closed doors better than nothing..
WHEN it comes to the behind closed doors debate, Kerry star Sean O’shea would take half a loaf of bread rather than none at all.
Increasingly, playing games without fans appears to be the most realistic chance of a Championship taking place this year though last Wednesday’s GAA statement claimed that there is “a lack of appetite for this type of fixture-scheduling at the current time across the wider Association”.
That may well be true of the GAA hierarchy but there seems to be more enthusiasm for it among players, even if some are not in favour.
“I suppose ideally no one likes playing behind closed doors and the fans obviously bring a massive amount to the game but if it came down to it, personally, I’d prefer to play behind closed doors than have no games at all,” O’shea told Irish Mirror Sport.
“Obviously it’s not an ideal situation but that’s the challenge you’re faced with really.
“Things aren’t going to be normal for a while, so how do we adapt to them, I suppose,” said the Kenmare man, who was speaking in support of R. E. S. T, a mental fitness campaign developed by the GPA and WGPA in partnership with the mental health charity, Pieta.
Kerry were supposed to open their Championship campaign two weeks from today in what was an eagerly anticipated Munster semi-final against an improving Cork side at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
If that game is to take place later this year, it will likely be a straight knockout tie.
O’shea added: “It would probably be exciting anyway, and an exciting way for the Championship to be played.
“It would be different and it would mean that every game was serious stuff. Straight away fellas would know there can be no room for error and you would have to be at the top of your game.
“It would be interesting, and it might be something they’ll have to look at.”
O’shea is studying in UCC and was on teaching practice when the schools were shut in March but, outside of that and the obvious removal of football activity, he says he hasn’t been too badly affected by the current measures.
“It hasn’t had too much an impact on me personally. Obviously it has impacted the whole country but personally I would have had too much of an effect.
“The parents have a launderette in town and it has stayed open because it is deemed an essential service and they are working away. It has just been surreal really how the whole country has gone into lockdown really.
“I suppose it’s been great for them to have something to do and be kept busy with work.
“It’s been difficult, it’s been quieter than usual like. Kenmare would be a big tourist town usually and it’d be hopping coming into this time of year.
“It’s been different for the whole town and it’ll take a while to recover but every part of the country and the world will say something similar.”
Things aren’t going to be normal for a while: O’shea