Gavin Cummiskey looks at the different approaches counties take to the team holiday abroad ahead of the National Leagues.

The pre/post-Christmas team holiday has become a traditional reward for a decent championship showing. However, with the increasing emphasis on pre-season conditioning, some of these vacations are being used to lay the groundwork for the National League and beyond.

Last year the Cork hurlers went to Vietnam and while they pucked around on the beach most days they also had three training sessions. On January 9th they head to New Zealand for two and a half weeks and to a man they will have the tools of their trade to hand as on Saturday, January 15th, they play an exhibition match, amongst themselves, in Auckland.

"We took hurleys to Vietnam last year but it was totally optional," explained new manager John Allen. "Yet, a lot of the lads missed their hurleys the last time we went away and were saying why didn't we bring them."

Munster champions Waterford head to Cape Town on January 7th, where they will also play an exhibition match, with the proceeds going to a township charity.

"It's a gesture of goodwill," said manager Justin McCarthy. "The match is just one of a programme of events we have lined up."

Then there are other counties, like the Munster and All-Ireland football champions, who swear the break is just that. Kerry head stateside in just over a week with no formal plan to stretch their legs.

Manager Jack O'Connor said: "If the lads want to go for a run by themselves they can but there will be no formal training. Sure, there was enough of that done during the year."

It will be hard to find a pitch off the Las Vegas strip or in Cancun anyway.

The Leinster hurling champions, Wexford, are adopting a similar line, mainly due to the departure of John Conran. New manager Seamus Murphy will not be travelling to the island of Phuket in Thailand on January 8th. Their footballers recently returned from southeast Asia as a reward for their ground-breaking championship run that saw them reach round three of the qualifiers.

The football champions in Leinster, Westmeath, are back training after they got their trip to South Africa out of the way in November.

If there is no training, the timing of the trip becomes hugely important as Kilkenny found out to their detriment this year. After travelling to Australia, Brian Cody's squad didn't have enough time to prepare for the league and they were duly scalped in the opening two rounds by Waterford and Galway, thus denying them the chance to retain their title.

If any side deserves a holiday for their exploits in 2004 it's Fermanagh. Charlie Mulgrew's panel, and their partners, will head to Lanzarote for a week of relaxation at the end of January.

To counteract disruption to the McKenna Cup campaign, a preliminary panel has been named, which includes returning prodigal sons like Rory and Raymond Gallagher and Michael Lilly.

Fellow beaten All-Ireland semi-finalists Derry depart for a week in Gran Canaria on St Stephen's Day, also with their partners.

In spring, as the championship nears, several counties will be heading to warm-weather destinations to aid the conditioning process. Among others Armagh, Dublin and Mayo have gone this route before.

Connacht champions Mayo played New York in the opening round of the championship last summer and so spent a couple of days in the Catskills planning their assault for Sam Maguire, which ended in disappointment at the final hurdle.

For some managers, the team holiday is a chance to let loose before knuckling down for the league, while others see it as the first time they have their panel together for a sustained period.