PETE McGrath says the GAA needs to get serious about its inter-provincial championships.
A paltry crowd of around 100 spectators – including GAA President Aoghán Ó Fearghail – turned out at Parnell Park for the throw-in yesterday as McGrath’s Ulster side, without any representatives from Donegal or Monaghan, saw off a Munster select that included only one player from Kerry’s Championship squad last season.
The fans that did turn up were treated to a competitive affair that included big hits, superb scores but not a single ‘mark’ and afterwards McGrath said change was needed to ensure the future of a competition that was first played in 1927.
“If it’s going to, not only survive, but thrive the GAA has to be serious about it,” said Fermanagh manager McGrath.
“They have to find a permanent slot for it at a time of the year when most players will be available and when it is easier to arouse some kind of interest among the public.
“Someone suggested All-Ireland final weekend because there’s no club activity on that weekend and players are still reasonably fit.
“You’d be without the All-Ireland finalists but you could play the two semi-finals on a Friday night and the final on the Saturday afternoon.
“On All-Ireland weekend you’d have a ready-made audience coming to Dublin so I think that’s a possibility, but they have to find a regular slot and I think they have to make a serious effort to promote it and encourage it.”
There were six Tyrone representatives on show yesterday – including Tiernan McCann who cut short a weekend in London to play in the game – and McGrath said the absence of the Donegal players he invited onto his panel was due to their attendance at the wedding of their Tir Chonaill team-mate David Walsh.
“A lot of Donegal players were going to that and that was the main reason why Donegal wasn’t represented,” he said.
“They had a challenge game against Sligo but I think they were playing U21s in that game and Michael Murphy is taking a well-documented and well-deserved rest.
“The wedding was the big thing but all we can do is offer the invitation and encourage people. I was delighted that we had 24 down here.”
McGrath said he hadn’t discussed the unavailability of Donegal’s players with the county’s manager Rory Gallagher.
“I didn’t because as far as I’m concerned players are adults,” he said.
“They’re their own men and if they get an invitation and say they’re not available then I don’t go beyond that.
“Whether Rory had an influence in it I don’t know, I’d be surprised if he had because he is playing U21s in these challenge matches so I don’t think he’d be ring-fencing his players at this stage.”
Ulster will take on Connacht who beat Leinster 2-17 to 1-18 on Saturday next weekend and McGrath’s side may have to improve on a “stuttery” performance to see them off.
“We were in control at half-time but we knew going out for the second half that Munster wouldn’t go down without a fight and in fairness they came right at us,” said the Rostrevor native.
“We were very stuttery in the second half, there was some poor decision-making and they got it back to three and at that stage it was very much anyone’s game.
“We got a couple of counter-attacks and a couple of scores and I think when we made it five again it looked pretty safe then.
“I’m happy with the win obviously and you have to accept that the levels of fitness at this time of year aren’t as high as they would be in August or September.
“I thought both teams put in a mighty effort and I’m just delighted that on this occasion Ulster came out on top.”
