Football

Tyrone attacker Kyle Coney throws his weight behind calls for a split season in GAA calendar

Tyrone's Kyle Coney runs up against Monaghan's Kieran Duffy. Picture by Michael Cullen.
Tyrone's Kyle Coney runs up against Monaghan's Kieran Duffy. Picture by Michael Cullen. Tyrone's Kyle Coney runs up against Monaghan's Kieran Duffy. Picture by Michael Cullen.

Tyrone attacker Kyle Coney has thrown his weight behind calls for a split season in the GAA calendar.

And he insisted clubs should come first in any new landscape, with the inter-county game deferred until the latter part of the year.

The Association’s Fixtures Calendar Task Force is to meet today (Wed) to considering calls for a reshaping of the season, with GAA president John Horan having expressed a preference for county first, clubs later.

“Yes, I would be in favour of splitting the season. But club football first, county football after that is the way to go. I would be fully supportive of that,” said Coney.

“It would be very unfair to put the club players on the back burner and hold off for the rest of the year, waiting on us boys.”

“A hundred per cent, club football has to come first.

“County players are club players at the end of the day, and I would be fully supportive of club football first. That’s the most important thing at the minute.”

Coney said he’s delighted with the opportunity to devote all his energies to his club during the current health crisis, scoring seven points in Ardboe’s Championship win over Donaghmore at the weekend.

“I love playing for Ardboe, and I think every team deserves the chance of playing with their county men in all games.”

The 30-year-old reasoned that it’s difficult for county players to settle into the club scene when they are moving back and forth between the two squads, concentrating their training regime on the more advanced inter-county model.

“I love giving my time to the club, and sometimes when you’re with the county and you’re training two nights a week, or three nights a week, and you come back it’s hard to get integrated into the team again.

“You come back in for a Sunday and you’re expected to slot back in.

“You see the teams that are doing well at the minute have a lot of county men, the likes of Killyclogher and Dromore and Trillick, and they’re playing well every week.

“So it shows that when their county players are there all the time it makes a big difference.”

For the moment, Coney is just relieved to be back playing football following many weeks in lockdown.

While the majority of supporters are unable to gain access to grounds for their clubs’ Championship games, they are able to follow the action live, with the Tyrone County Board streaming all ties.

“Three or four months ago, you would have thought, that’s it, football’s gone for the year.

“When you see that weather, it’s disappointing that there’s only 400 at the matches, but I would have played behind closed doors if that was the necessary thing.

“But I’m glad that some people are able to go to the matches to see them, and Tyrone is doing a great job by streaming them.”

Ardboe’s 0-17 to 3-7 win over Donaghmore saw them bring a losing run to an end.

Having failed to pick up a single point from four League games, the Rossas were under pressure to save their season.

“When you’re on a bad run of four games, and you manage to get one, it’s a big monkey off the back.

“We’re just glad to get into the next round, and Dungannon will not be easy either.

“We played them last week in the League, and it was a point victory to them up in O’Neill Park, so it will be a tight game and I’m sure it will go right to the wire again.”