TAOISEACH Micheál Martin offered some hope that inter-county GAA activity could yet resume before the beginning of April – and Derry boss Rory Gallagher admits any movement in that direction would be welcome.
On Wednesday night the GAA confirmed to county boards that inter-county activity was no longer covered under the current level five exemptions for elite sports.
The Taoiseach yesterday explained the inter-county GAA exemption was "always timed to end at the end of the year” in a bid to “keep activity low in society”, despite having received clearance during the previous level five lockdown from October to December.
As a result the GAA’s Covid-19 advisory group believes inter-county training is unlikely to resume until after Easter “at the earliest”, although Martin did offer some cause for optimism when stating that policy in this area would be reviewed over the coming weeks.
“In the context of the revising of the [‘Living with Covid’] plan, we will look at sport and look at inter-county GAA,” he said.
And Oak Leaf boss Gallagher remains hopeful that, if the public health situation improves in the meantime, GAA action could return sooner than has been suggested.
“It was fairly clear where it said at least after Easter, but I think everybody would welcome that if possible,” said the Fermanagh native.
“It [Wednesday’s announcement] came out of the blue for ourselves and for everybody. It was just a feeling of disappointment I suppose but at the same time you can understand where everybody’s coming from.
“I had a bit of chat with the county board and the management team, everybody was slightly taken aback but it’s just a matter now of seeing what further information comes out in the weeks ahead.
“It’s not as big a shock as it was last March when everything was cancelled – we’re almost used to it by now. The players are used to this type of set-up now as well, in terms of carrying on a lot of work themselves.
“But of course everybody’s anxious to get back as soon as we can.”
Meanwhile, despite speculation around what shape the season could yet take, the GAA has insisted it still intends to play the National League and All-Ireland Championship this year - though no decisions on potential changes to the calendar or competition formats will be made before Easter.
"You might remember the frenzy in March and April last year where every day we were asked what are your competitions going to look like? We couldn't answer it then and we can't answer it now," GAA director of communications Alan Milton told Morning Ireland yesterday.
"But what we did show last year was that if you scenario-plan well enough, you can react quickly and you can bring the wider membership with you. This can work, and we're very confident it will again this year.
"We haven't made any hard-and-fast decisions in relation to how the Championships and the Leagues will [proceed], but as things stand we definitely aim to run both off. Whether or not we've to reach a tipping point in the season where we have to look at redrafting the competitions or perhaps flipping things remains to be seen, but I think we've got to hold our powder until Easter comes.
“And, at the start of April, hopefully the figures will have not only stabilised but decreased and may allow some wiggle room with the government in terms of relaxing restrictions."
He added: "I think it's important also that we don't just focus on the inter-county game. There's hundreds of thousands of club players out there, not to mention young players, who are without schooling at the moment.
“So anything that we might be able to do - to get back in a non-contact, even in pods, situation - would be hugely welcome for society and across the community, not just for the GAA.”
