GPA PLAYERS' GRANTS:LEADING inter-county figures from both football and hurling have called on the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism Martin Cullen to clarify remarks he made last week assuring the public that Government grants for GAA players would not be shelved, writes GAVIN CUMMISKEY
Cullen’s ambiguous comments, when finally questioned on the issue, about a solution to the current lack of funding are due to become clearer when the minister meets GPA chief executive Dessie Farrell in the coming days.
Cullen stated he wanted to avoid “uncertainty”, but that is exactly what Tyrone footballer Seán Cavanagh and Waterford hurler John Mullane believe he created after stalling for time last week.
“I don’t want to portray this as an entirely fractious issue between myself and the players,” claimed Cullen. “It’s not. I am committed to trying to find a resolution, and . . . a resolution that would perhaps put this on a firm footing.
“And it’s not just an immediate, quick solution. I think it needs to be more broad(ly) based than that. We have a couple of months to do that, in a calm way, and I think the outcome could be very positive.”
The GPA remain hopeful that a payment deal – that took several years of calm negotiations to reach last year’s first payment of €3.5 million, divided on a performance scale to inter-county players – can be salvaged with a more secure format.
“You’re picking up the paper and you’re reading one thing (Cullen) is saying and then he’s saying something different the following evening,” said Cavanagh yesterday. “I don’t really know where it’s at at the minute.
“You’d almost rather just have a final answer on it and then move on after that and work out what the players want to do. It’s a wee bit frustrating, but I’ll not get into the whole politics of it.”
Not ruling out some form of player action should Minister Cullen renege on his comments to keep the scheme alive, Cavanagh noted the plight of several players in the Tyrone panel at present.
“I’m not going to blow it out of all proportion, at the end of the day it’s a couple of thousand euro. I was sitting beside a couple of guys coming home on the bus the other day and I said: ‘Are you going to work tomorrow?’ and they said: ‘No, we have no work on at the minute.’
“It’s true, there are maybe seven or eight guys on the Tyrone squad at the minute who have no work and are seeking employment. To them, it probably means more than anyone else.
“Fair enough, some guys are in good enough jobs and are well enough looked after and to them it doesn’t mean as much. But there are GAA players at the minute putting huge time and commitment into their sport and they don’t have any employment.
“They really are on the breadline and to those sort of guys a couple of thousand euro towards the end of the year means an awful lot and maybe allows them to have a better Christmas.”
Mullane added, “I can only speak on behalf of Waterford players and the grant last year was a big help and it was given out before Christmas.
“A lot of the lads saw it as a mighty help, even some of the lads going to college saw it as a way of paying for their college duties.
“The GPA are after putting in so much work in the course of the last couple of years. All they want to be told is either yes or no. To be fair, that’s not a lot to ask for.”
The players were speaking at the Halifax Gaelic Performance media day, a series of training camps for children developed by Monaghan footballer Dermot McArdle, in UCD yesterday.
Cavanagh also took the opportunity to call for the red card Derry defender Kevin McGuckian received in last Sunday’s Ulster semi-final to be rescinded.
“I saw a few replays. To be honest, it was a bit harsh. If it had been me or any of the Tyrone lads sent off for something like that, I’d be extremely angry. What was in it? He just pushed me in the back or whatever.
“Probably everything that ensued afterwards, the pushing and the shoving and the handbags, led to Kevin being sent off and if it hadn’t happened he’d probably have been grand.
“It was just one of those heat of the moment things.
“I would hope the red card would be rescinded because I know Kevin off the field and he’s not that sort of player.
“He’s a lovely guy, and I’m sure he’ll be hoping his summer isn’t over.”
GAA Fixtures
Today
Leinster MHC Semi-finals– Westmeath v Kilkenny, Mullingar, 7.30pm, M Bartley (Meath); Laois v Wexford, Portlaoise, 7.30pm, D Hughes (Carlow).
Munster MHC Semi-finals– Cork v Tipperary, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 7.30pm, M O'Connor (Limerick); Clare v Waterford, Ennis, 7.30pm, D Copps (Cork).
Tomorrow
Munster JFC Final– Cork v Clare, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 7.30pm, K O'Brien (Tipperary).
Saturday
Leinster MFC Semi-finals– Meath v Kildare, Navan, 2pm, B O'Shea (Dublin); Offaly v Dublin, Tullamore, 5.15pm, E Kinsella (Laois).
Leinster SFC Semi-final– Laois v Kildare, Tullamore, 7pm, D Coldrick (Meath).
Ulster SFC Semi-final– Antrim v Cavan, Clones, 7pm, J Bannon (Longford).
Ulster MFC Semi-final– Down v Donegal, Clones, 5.15, JJ Cleary (Derry).
Connacht MFC Semi-final– Roscommon v Leitrim, Dr Hyde Park, 5.45pm, M Daly (Mayo).
Nicky Rackard Cup Semi-finals– Meath v Armagh, Páirc Tailteann, 3.30pm, A Kelly (Galway); London v Fingal, Ruislip, 3.30pm, D Richardson (Limerick).
Lory Meagher Cup Semi-finals– Longford v Tyrone, Edgeworthstown, Longford, 3.30pm; Upper Down v Donegal, Newry, 3.30pm, A Stapleton (Laois).
Camogie:All-Ireland Senior Championship – Tipperary v Kilkenny, Semple Stadium, 4.15pm, É Mac Suibhne (Dublin); Galway v Clare, Kenny Park, Athenry, 3.30pm, Ú Kearney (Armagh).
Sunday
Leinster SFC Semi-finals– Dublin v Westmeath, Croke Park, 4pm, J White (Donegal).
Leinster JFC Final– Louth v Longford, Croke Park, 2.10pm, J Curley (Meath).
Connacht SFC Semi-final– Sligo v Galway, Markievicz Park, 2pm, D Fahy (Longford).
Connacht MFC Semi-final– Mayo v Galway, Markievicz Park, 12.10pm, D Hunt (Roscommon).
Ulster SHC Final– Antrim v Down, Casement Park, 3.30pm, B Gavin (Offaly) Ulster MFC Semi-final – Antrim v Derry, Casement Park, 1.30pm, D Magee (Down).
