THE GAA’s Covid Advisory Group is tonight expected to give the green light for club activity to resume in the north from April 12, subject to the Stormont Executive ratifying that return date.
Last week the Executive confirmed that sports training for affiliated clubs could resume outdoors in groups of up to 15 people from April 12, though it remained unclear whether the GAA would diverge from its all-island approach to facilitate clubs in the north returning ahead of the rest of Ireland.
However, The Irish News understands that the Covid Advisory body is likely to rubber-stamp that return date in the north tonight.
There is still a chance, though, that restrictions surrounding group sports training for those aged under 18 could be lifted in the south from Monday, April 5 after being identified as a key priority by the Irish government.
This may involve new protocols being drawn up for parents dropping children to training as government ministers begin detailed considerations around what restrictions might be eased.
Also on the agenda is the return of inter-county activity which, assuming its elite status will be reinstated, is also expected to be given the green light for an April 5 return as well.
Counties had originally been due to resume collective training on January 15, only for the public health situation across the country to force a rethink. Should counties eventually return to training at the beginning of April, the scaled-back National League is expected to get under way on the weekend of May 8/9.
The issue of whether or not the north should be allowed to resume GAA activities has been a major talking point in recent weeks, with former Armagh and Crossmaglen forward Oisin McConville insisting that “25 per cent of the Association” shouldn’t be punished “because we don’t have our ducks in a row elsewhere”.
"If we have the opportunity in the north to go back on the pitch,” he said, “that's exactly what we should do.
"People are suffering because they don't have the outlets they once had. We are told by scientists that it is safe to go back on the pitch so therefore we should be back on the pitch."
However, Tyrone County Board chairman Michael Kerr last week took the opposite viewpoint, stating that the GAA must continue to operate on a 32 county basis.
“The undertaking was given by those at the top, when the north wasn't coming as quick as the south last year, that they wouldn't move until we were ready to move,” he said.
“So it would be disingenuous of us if we did something different this year.
“We have to respect the fact that the decisions that are being taken currently are taken for the best interests of the community.
“The players and managers might have difficulty with that, but we're a community organisation, we're at the heart of the community.”
Days later Tyrone coaching officer Damian Harvey appeared at odds with Kerr when he urged Association chiefs to allow training to resume in the north in line with the Stormont Executive's recommendations.
