GAA coaches think they have heard every excuse in the book from players wanting to skip a training session.
Yet, a helicopter landing on the pitch isn't quite the same as a sick granny or a sore toe.
Camogie and ladies football training had to be postponed at the Dubai Celts GAA club after a helicopter touched down in the middle of the pitch.
Training a bit delayed tonight for camogie and women's football. Helicopter on the pitch. Posted by Dubai Celts GAA on Thursday, 28 January 2016
The helicopter was carrying Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Social Development in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Sheikh Nahyan, who is also chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board, was travelling to a nearby cricket game.
Dubai Celts, founded in 1995, is among the oldest GAA clubs in Asia and describes itself as "the starting point for countless Irish people moving to Dubai as a way to settle into life in the Middle East".
Club chairperson Darragh Walshe said that the helicopter had planned to land there and the ladies only had to wait for a few minutes.
He said it was the first time that something like this had happened in his time with the club.
Mr Walshe said that the Sheikh did not come and explain the interruption to the players and said that he hopes the Sheikh "rings ahead if he's coming to visit our tournament in March."
The 2016 Dubai GAA Tournament will see the Celts compete against other teams in the Middle East.
At least the helicopter only interrupted training for a while, it could have been much worse.
Like the time a Jack Russell invaded the pitch during a 2004 International Rules game at Croke Park.
After chasing the ball around for a few minutes, the poor pup almost got scooped up by a player as he defended the ball.
Watching the game eight miles at home, Dublin man Martin Burn recognised the troublemaker as family pet Brock.
Following appeals on the radio and in newspapers, Brock finally returned home after a four day adventure.
