GAA reveals its revised plans

If things go to plan, Sligo’s Senior hurling and football teams will each have a minimum of five games

SLOWLY but surely, there is some light at the end of a long, dark tunnel for Sligo GAA’s Senior intercounty teams.

For months Sligo’s elite players have had to train on their own, following virtual training programmes.

But now, due to easing of Covid-19 restrictions, the county’s adult hurling, Gaelic football and Ladies Football squads can return to collective training outdoors from Monday next, April 19.

Sligo Ladies Footballers were last week informed of their Lidl National Football League schedule, which starts on Sunday, May 23.

The Allianz National Leagues for Sligo’s inter-county Gaelic footballers and hurlers will begin next month. The AHL starts on the weekend of May 8/May 9 and the AFL commences the following weekend (May 15/May 16).

Sligo will compete in the ‘North’ section of the Allianz Football League’s Division Four. With new manager Tony McEntee at the helm, Sligo will face games against Antrim, Leitrim and Louth.

The ‘South’ grouping of the bottom tier features Waterford, Carlow (who are managed by former Sligo boss Niall Carew) and Wexford. London were originally due to take part but this is now not the case.

The top two in each section progress to the Division Four semi-finals. Allianz Football League finals will only be played in June (June 19/June 20) if the counties involved are not playing in their respective provincial championships the following weekend. If this is the case there will be joint-winners. Also, the bottom two teams in each of Division Four’s two sections go forward to the semi-finals of the Shield. Sligo hurlers, who won Division 3B of last year’s Allianz Hurling League, will be competing in Division 3A of the AHL along with Tyrone, Monaghan, Armagh and Longford. Warwickshire will not be involved.

There will be no final in this section – the top team will be crowned champions and the bottom team will be relegated.

Meanwhile, the draw for the Connacht GAA Senior Football Championship

will take place on RTÉ’s Six One News on Monday evening next. The provincial competition will be played on a knock-out basis, with no Qualifiers for 2021. Furthermore, New York and London (who’ve had Sligo representatives in recent campaigns) will not be involved.

Sligo haven’t played in the Connacht Senior Football Championship since 2019 – a 13-point loss to Galway in the semi-final. An outbreak of Covid-19 in the Sligo camp last November forced the County Board and then team manager, Paul Taylor, to give a walkover to Galway, who progressed to the Connacht final without kicking a ball.

The Tailteann Cup, the GAA’s tier two Senior inter-county championship, has been put on hold and will not be played this year.

Sligo hurlers, managed by Galway man Padraig Mannion, will take part in the Christy Ring Cup (the third tier GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior

Championship) for a second year. Also competing in the Christy Ring Cup for 2021 are Roscommon (who beat a gallant Sligo in last year’s competition), Wicklow, Derry and Offaly. London will not compete. Sligo will play at least two games.

There will be relegation from this level back to the fourth tier, the Nicky Rackard Cup, for 2022.

No dates yet have been finalised for a return to collective training for Sligo’s Minor (U-17) and U-20 squads. The current exemptions for a return to training only apply to the Senior intercounty grade.

The revised inter-county fixtures programme, as issued by the GAA last Thursday, features 20 weeks of activity compared to the original plan of 27 weeks.

For 2021, Sligo’s two adult teams (hurlers and Gaelic footballers) are guaranteed a minimum of five games each.

Update