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Roscommon manager Anthony Cunningham reacts during the game. Ryan Byrne/INPHO
unfair

'Straight knockout for football is really, really poor' - Cunningham unhappy with lack of backdoor

Roscommon are one of 14 teams already out of the championship after two weeks.

ROSCOMMON MANAGER ANTHONY Cunningham has voiced his displeasure at the absence of a second chance for beaten teams in the football championship. 

Roscommon’s season ended with yesterday’s Connacht semi-final defeat to Galway and he feels football counties have been short-changed. 

14 teams are out of the championship after two weeks of action, while hurling sides have the benefit of a qualifier system for those knocked out of the provincial competitions.

“Very disappointing in that you don’t have a second go at it,” said Cunningham after the five-point loss in Dr Hyde Park. “In a normal year you would and we’d be out again next Sunday.

“I think the officials got the completely wrong to be honest. For the promotion of our games there has to be more games and less training. Straight knockout for football is really, really poor.

“We see group stages in other reports there week-in, week-out be it rugby, soccer, whatever. And in hurling where you’ve got the back door for the guys that lost yesterday.

“I think it’s really poor and the GAA are going to lose a footing really if they don’t have more games.”

The man who led Galway to two All-Ireland hurling finals said the time and resources put into county teams means the season should be longer, even accounting for the Covid-19 disrupted year.

“I don’t think anybody understands the amount of work that goes on. It’s a seven day a week job.

“The amount of people we have working, highly skilled professionals now with sports science in the backroom team and analysis. It is like a mini company that you’re running now.

“Such is the advancements in sport. The amount of work you put in as well as your day job is huge.”

Roscommon will be idle for six months before the 2022 campaign gets up and running, which Cunningham feels is “wrong”. 

“There’s a big gap there,” he added. “Theres going to be club competitions etc but at the national stage there has to be more GAA games.”

With another year to run on his current deal, Cunningham refused to be drawn on his future. 

“That’s not for discussion this evening but look it, we enjoy working with the guys they give us everything.”

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