The Clubs Players Association have called on Croke Park to decide on the format of all county club championships in 2020.
The covid-19 pandemic has seen the GAA redraw their fixture schedule with an overlap between club and inter-county championship, with just six days between the club season ending and the inter-county season beginning.
County boards can decide on their own championship format’s beginning from July 31 with Wexford proposing their senior hurling final at the end of August causing great disquiet.
“We’re seeing a diverse range of the way they’re proposing to do that” Club Players Association P.R.O. Michael Briody told Shannonside Sport.
“In some cases were seeing them blitzing out in three or four weeks so they can rid of the clubs so they can get to the inter-counties.”
We’re seeing some very good proposals as well, they should be applauded” added Briody. “I think the issue is here it shouldn’t be left to the county boards or they should be some approval at Croke Park level so that the 11 weeks can be maximised.”
“It’s a great opportunity for meaningful games in all counties and impose rules on all county boards.”
“We have 32 different decision makers and there is a conflict of interest, whilst the county boards is responsible for i) a programme of games for all players and ii) compete at inter-county level and you have that conflict pulling at different levels of strength in different counties.
“Croke Park need to put in a sanction so that inter-county teams can’t train before the 14th of September”
“The pressure any inter-county manager can put on young player whose breaking into a panel is quiet significant” added Briody.
Listen to Michael Briody’s full interview with Dave Hooper
