Championship and Covid

kksaints wrote: »

The LOI is the elite level of soccer in Ireland so it would still go ahead.

Interestingly when Dublin and Donegal went into level 3 lockdown, the FAI halted the amateur leagues in each county. Some of the annoyance may have sprung from the GAA keeping all adult level activities going including Junior B and below rather than just the top level county championships. The wording used in the guideline was ambiguous tbh so I can see why the FAI did what they did and why the GAA did what they did.

Agree on the ambiguity of it. It was discussed here at the time I think and the general consensus was it was worded terribly. Like everything with this pandemic, it's a learning curve. At least they came out and put a halt to all club activity eventually so we all know where we stand. Disappointing timing from a personal point of view because we got into a county final for the first time in 4 years on the Friday night and gaa put a stop to all games on the Monday. But sure what can ya do, theres a bigger picture here.

kksaints wrote: »

The LOI is the elite level of soccer in Ireland so it would still go ahead.

Interestingly when Dublin and Donegal went into level 3 lockdown, the FAI halted the amateur leagues in each county. Some of the annoyance may have sprung from the GAA keeping all adult level activities going including Junior B and below rather than just the top level county championships. The wording used in the guideline was ambiguous tbh so I can see why the FAI did what they did and why the GAA did what they did.

Surely, if they meant adult could play sports, they would have said adult, the GAA willfully misinterpreted and we as a society are paying for it now

for a minority sport there is some amount of arrogance

UsBus wrote: »

Listening to Leitrim county gaa board chairman. He's not happy sending a team up north for a nothing match and he's right.
They have to travel to Down this weekend.
Waterford have to travel to Antrim
Longford going to Armagh

Absolutely bonkers and completely irresponsible from the GAA. How can the rest of the country take restrictions seriously when this mass movement is being imposed. All Gaa action should be stopped until after Xmas, it's as far from essential as you can get. Must be a financial aspect to it. The heart of the community me b*********

The GAA will probably lose money on running these competitions.

Its time for the GAA to cop on and shut it all down for the time being.

Anyone listening to Tony Holohan last nigh wuth an ounce of sense would know that in terms of the virus we are in a very bad place.

Its completely irresponsible in particular to have co minor teams meeting. Players coming together from various schools to train is the best way to spread the virus back through school communities, and then the wider community.

Much as I love the matches I am leaning towards the argument of calling a halt this year I know we will still have covid at the very least in some form next year but a break may be best for now .It seems certain their will be major disruption with the fixtures if they go ahead and the variety of social distancing issues that will undoubtedly arise around the games it spells trouble to me .

bocaman wrote: »

In my opinion the League should really have been shelved for this season and all results rendered null and void. No one wants to play it.

The NFL is more important to a number of counties than an upcoming knock out championship. Would be daft to null and void it with just 2 games to play.

Sultan of Bling wrote: »

Better to finish an already started comp than worrying about a comp that hasn't started yet imo.

Totally agree.

Anything could still happen the situation is so unpredictable events out of Gaa hands will most likely occur so its impossible in my view to predict with any confidence what will happen tough on the players who are gearing up for the games .

This championship if it goes ahead will turn into an absolute farce with teams missing players due to COVID in every single game. I can also guarantee there will be a team (as has happened at club level) that will keep a confirmed case or a potential close contact on the down low so they can play.

Finishing the league is utter madness and it's meaningless to the majority of teams. The ramifications regarding going to Division 3 are now gone as this year's championship is a straight knockout.

NOT A SINGLE TEAR would have been shed by anyone had the league been declared null and void and start with the same divisions again next season. Some of the journeys that will have to be undertaken to finish the the league are outrageous. What are the logistics involved? Will players be allowed take a bus or all have to drive themselves? Driving will inevitably lead to car pooling.

The classification of GAA as an elite sport was insanity given these players all live and work in the community. Professional players can restrict what they do outside training as they have no other commitments and are getting paid to do so. GAA players simply won't do this nor should they be expected to.

The GAAs reaction to this in March was fantastic but the return to play has been utterly amateurish and the sense of entitlement from fans and the organisation alike has undone all the good will from March.

almostover wrote: »

Common sense like that wont go down well here! Agree 100% with you. GAA is not, and should never have been classed as an elite sport. The fact the players must return to their workplaces after training and matches is putting them in a very compromised position. Running off the inter county championship is of no value to the country in the grand scheme of things. The club championships were important for community spirit.

Also, why are the likes of Jim McGuinness given an exemption for cross county travel? He could hardly be classed as travelling for work.....

Inter county level hurling and gaelic football are elite level sport though. No way are they not.

thelad95 wrote: »

The GAA is an amateur organisation that operates as a non profit over seeing the organisation of amateur competitions played by people in their spare time before they go back to their day jobs in construction sites, in schools, in hospitals and many more places.

Just because teams have more gym sessions and keep a better eye on their diet than teams of 20 years ago does not make them elite athletes and the way the GAA has brought back activity certainly has not shown it to be an "elite sport" organisation.

The IRFU and the FAI took their medicine when it came to playing behind closed doors (as nearly every sporting organisation worldwide has had to do) yet the GAA insisted on having fans and made an absolute pigs ear of it.

There is no regard being shown to player welfare whatsoever. Already, Fermanagh are very close to not having a team to field yet I can guarantee the GAA will insist on the fixture being fulfilled. But you know it's only Fermanagh.

Its still elite level because its the elite level within the sport. The players training schedule etc is semi professional. That the GAA is amateur and players have day jobs doesnt make the top level not be an elite level of sport.

almostover wrote: »

Inter county GAA is amateur sport masquerading as elite level sport. Ask any GAA player who has been involved in an inter county setup and has played pro sport also, aussie rules, rugby, soccer etc. There is no comparison. Inter county GAA for sure is a high level sport, as high a level as amateur sport can get. It could be compared to high level amatuer golf for example in terms of the work put in and commitment involved.

But when the players must work a job for a living, playing matches in front of an empty stadium to honor TV contracts seems a little grotesque. Granted GAA has a special place in Irish sport but those who play it are the same as you and I only infinitely more physically talented no doubt! It's a hiding to nothing having inter county matches, I'd be very surprised if the championship actually finishes and it will be mired in controversy from the get go.

That it is amateur doesnt mean it is not an elite sport.

thelad95 wrote: »

Finishing the league is utter madness and it's meaningless to the majority of teams. The ramifications regarding going to Division 3 are now gone as this year's championship is a straight knockout.

NOT A SINGLE TEAR would have been shed by anyone had the league been declared null and void and start with the same divisions again next season.

The league is more important to many of the lower division teams than the November knock out championship.

Those ramifications are not gone. Relegation in Div 2 and promotion from Div 3 in the last two games will be used for who is in next years tier 2 championship. It would be more "mad" not finish that competition than start another one and be left with the possibility of two unfinished competitions, plus teams need a few decent competitive games in preparation before a championship that could be just 1 game for a number of teams.