Amalgamation is GAA answer

Sir — The GAA powers-that-be are to be heartily commended for moving so quickly to try and doctor the ills of Gaelic football. Nobody can accuse the GAA of being slow to change these days.

After the greatest championship in the history of hurling, most lovers of the game will be sticking a “please don’t touch” sticker on the McCarthy competition — and how could anyone argue with that? Nonetheless, I would like to air an idea which would further enhance the greatest game in the world.

There are possibly as many as nine counties who can hold realistic aspirations of winning the senior All-Ireland hurling championship. Some 200 hurlers will grace the 2019 stage at this level and create memories for themselves, their county and their fans. One of the greatest gifts, for players and their countymen, is to come from a county with a realistic chance of winning an All-Ireland. But what about the equally gifted players from ‘weaker’ counties who do not have the opportunity to exhibit their God-given talent in the premier competition?

The ‘Liam McCarthy’ has been remodelled beyond recognition in recent years (and all to the good), so I hope it isn’t too farfetched for me to air an idea for a little more ‘tweaking’ which would be the icing on the cake.

In my own county of Westmeath, we have always produced a few hurlers who would get their place on any county panel — but never enough at the same time. This is also the sceal from most other second-tier counties.

There is an answer — and we can learn it from the clubs.

Years ago, some of strongest clubs came from places with nothing more than a crossroads. The reason being that there were large families in those days.

The best teams were powered by bands of brothers. When the size of the family shrank to a boy and a girl, the club was decimated.

What did these clubs do so that the boy and girl could play hurling and football? They AMALGAMATED!

‘Divisional’ teams are now the norm and talented players are facilitated to play at their deserved level.

If amalgamation works so well at club level, why not try it at inter-country? Two, three, or more counties join up to have a team worthy of playing for the Liam McCarthy Cup? Or at least, try it in the league for a year or two? This idea is no more radical than London winning the 1901 All-Ireland?

Allow Ulster to enter a team. Connacht (bar Galway, of course) could join with the aforementioned London and New York.

I see Offaly, Laois, Kildare and Longford making a handy team.

Westmeath, Carlow, Kerry, Meath and Louth would be the next interesting combination.

If a divisional team won the All-Ireland, the strongest county or two would have to go it alone the following year. The rising tide would lift all boats.

OK, so maybe this is just ‘silly season’ talk — but this thought is worthy of the ‘sensible season’ as well. Bernie Comaskey,

Mullingar