TYRONE defender Hugh Pat McGeary is confident the 2021 season will go ahead, and the summer will be saved by a festival of Championship football.
GAA chiefs meet this weekend to make important decisions on the possible shape of a revamped fixtures schedule, with the start date for the National Leagues set to be pushed back.
Plans to run the League and Championship will depend on public health emergency trends, and stand at the mercy of the ravages of Covid-19.
But McGeary sees a pathway to progress towards a meaningful season despite the obvious pitfalls.
"Definitely, I'm one hundred per cent confident the season will go ahead, there's no doubt about that," he said.
"I'm confident the National League will go ahead too.
"I know they're breaking it up this year with three games in the north and three games in the south, with a semi-final and final, so you could possibly have a total of five games.
"But you never know, they might just scrap the League altogether and go straight into a knock-out Championship.
"It's all very vague at the minute, but I think there has been a meeting held, and they are talking about March, but again that could change."
While League action appears to be in a precarious situation, McGeary feels the GAA will attempt to devise a plan to run off the competition over a right time-frame.
And the prospect of a second successive straight knock-out Championship is a distinct possibility.
"It just depends what way the numbers go.
"I do believe that will happen, and to be honest, I think they'll rattle it out pretty quick.
"I think the games, when they do start, will come thick and fast, but they probably will give us a bit of time to train and prepare beforehand.
"And I think then it will be straight into Championship football.
"I think there's a possibility it will be a straight knock-out championship."
Virus infection rates remain particularly high south of the border adding to the challenges facing those tasked with compiling a workable fixtures programme for the 32 counties.
"It depends what happens down south. At the end of the day, we're all one, so if it doesn't go ahead down there, it will not go ahead up here," McGeary said.
With collective training still prohibited, Tyrone's new managers Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher are unable to get down to work with their squad at Garavghey, adding to the frustration endured by everyone involved.
"Everybody is eager to get back at it. we are, ourselves individually, training away, but it's unfortunate, with the new management coming in, that we can't get together and go at it.
"But there are more important things to consider, with the Covid out there. People's lives are at stake, so it's a wise choice to settle it down for a while.
"But we are biting at the bullet to get back at it.
"A lot of people have given off about the McKenna Cup, but if it was on now, I don't think anybody would be complaining."
Lonely, isolated training sessions will continue until a new date is confirmed for a return to collective activity, but McGeary is fortunate to have younger brother and Tyrone team-mate Kieran as a drills partner.
"It is difficult, it's hard training on your own.
"I'm lucky enough, I have Kieran there to train with me, but for most of the players, who have to train on their own, it's a lot more difficult.
"But it's just the way the world is today, and there's nothing much we can do, just keep the head down, keep motoring on, because things can change very quickly."
