GPA call on GAA to end pre-league competitions

The Gaelic Players Association is again calling on the GAA to discontinue the pre-league competitions in a bid to reduce the demands on intercounty players.

Following its annual general meeting over the weekend, the GPA outlined its opposition to any moves to extend the intercounty season – as the possibility of August All-Ireland finals had been recently raised.

However, the GPA say the intercounty season must be no longer than eight months – from when teams are allowed return to collective training until the All-Ireland final.

CEO Tom Parsons says the organisation is flexible on August All-Ireland finals, but only if the season started later and so remained in that eight-month window. The GPA see the McGrath Cup, McKenna Cup, FBD League, O’Byrne Cup, Munster SHL and Walsh Cup as unnecessary.

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“There seems to be two proposed structures [to the format],” says Parsons. “But neither of the proposals address the elephant in the room in terms of competitions in January, which is a pause of the preseason competitions.

“We know damn well teams have to come back training in November because of games in January. If the GAA want to increase the importance of those games at the latter end, maybe they should look at games that are taking up four weeks at the start of the season.

“We don’t have a set position that it [the intercounty season] needs to be December to July, that’s something that can be consulted with players but I would anticipate that as long as players are getting those break periods, that meaningful time with their clubs, that break period between county and club and vice versa – if that eight month period shifted that is something we would absolutely consult with players.

“If that was designed to protect player welfare, and players were guaranteed certain rest periods, I’d be confident that could be something the GPA I think would get behind.”

The future of the pre-league competitions will be discussed again in September and Parsons didn’t rule out some form of action, should they remain on the calendar.

“Something that is within our remit is to mandate our members that players who have been on panels for two years don’t engage in preseason competitions,” he says.

At the AGM, Tyrone footballer Niall Morgan and Dublin camogie player Aisling Maher were elected as the new co-chairs of the GPA’s national executive committee.

Cora Staunton, who was elected to the NEC, has expressed concern over the number of woman players not committing to senior intercounty football and camogie panels.

“I certainly think it is down to welfare,” says Staunton. “There are numerous different things, the whole woman charter – it only came in this year so we have to wait to see how that is going. But mileage, we’re still unclear on that.

“Obviously, Australia [AFLW] is attractive from the point of view that it is a professional sport, but I just think the woman players are feeling like second class citizens [here].

“The example of the Armagh-Mayo All-Ireland quarter-final being on at 5.45 on Sunday evening, we still have the same problems unfortunately that I had when I was playing.

“I think the change needs to be a lot quicker. I think our players are just kind of getting fed up and don’t feel they are being looked after enough, so they are exploring different avenues whether that is other sports or just going away from the game.”