Summer
Forget the weather, the Gregorian calendar and morning traffic.
Summer is championship and it all kicks off 3,000 miles away in the Bronx tonight night at 8pm. It all sounds very dramatic but in truth Sligo should win comfortably.
Admittedly, the real start is in two weeks with some tasty first-round games. For New York it is a chance to test out some home-grown talent against the big boys. Four of the starting 15 were born in New York. Adding more indigenous players is something they need to do if they are to make a breakthrough. Sligo get their holiday in the Big Apple and a stretch of the legs ahead of a 9 June date with either Galway or Roscommon, the latter of which flew over last summer and were never in any real danger.
With so much competition for viewers this summer it’s a surprise that the GAA haven’t done more to launch the championship with a big bang. Then again, maybe not.
Square Ball
The new square ball rule or lack thereof, will not come into effect until 14 May according to congress, as any motion passed takes 30 days to clear.
It means the opening fixture of the championship will be played according to the ‘old rule’ for one last game. I encourage lovers of the game of football (Liam O’Neill need not apply) to savour every second.
Come 20 May, grounds around the country will bear witness to a new form of the game. It could be brilliant, it could be dramatic but one thing is for sure; full forwards are about to get bigger and meaner.
Expect sticks and a smaller ball to be introduced by 2014.
Draconian
The London GAA Board has decided to move the first round of the London football championship forward to next weekend.
It means that 12 members of their current panel will not qualify to play for London under the new ‘Seanie Johnston rule’ introduced at last month’s Congress. The London championship was due to begin in July so one can only imagine the disruption this will cause. The man from Cavan, who just cannot stay out of the headlines, has caused a rule change that requires a player representing a county team to have lined out for one of its clubs in that county’s club championship.
For a team like London, who rely on new players every season, it would have meant a decimated panel taking on Leitrim on 3 June. In a squad statement, the players branded the GAA law as ‘draconian’ and urged Croke Park ‘to take a leaf out of London GAA’s common sense book”. It all seems to be getting a little silly. This is all being played out while Seanie himself continues to court controversy. He sat with the Kildare substitutes in Croke Park last week even joining in with celebrations afterwards.
Let’s just hope Seanie doesn’t turn up in Ruislip asking for a game.
Down and out
Having succumbed to a fairly comprehensive defeat to Cork in the league semi-final a couple of weeks ago it must be particularly hard for Down fans to accept they will have to do without their talisman and captain Benny Coulter.
The Mayobridge man has a broken ankle and will miss the entire championship. Down with Coulter had a real shot at upsetting one of the big three this summer but without their All-Star forward a lot of responsibility will rest on Hughes’ shoulders to inspire the Mournemen to victory on June 3rd against a resurgent Fermanagh.
Hughes himself is facing a race against time to be fit for their Ulster quarter-final as is Dan Gordon. Peter Canavan must be licking his lips. Coulter’s absence is not just a blow to Down but to the championship itself. One of the great forwards of his generation.
I wonder if any calls to Collingwood have been made.
This is my comeback
The healing powers of the Irish summer really are amazing. Players find their niggles and injuries subsiding and work/family commitments easing just as the All-Ireland starts. Each May sees county all-stars suddenly declaring themselves fit and fresh while the young lad who filled in at corner forward for the league finds himself back on the bench.
Oh well, such is life.
With the Gooch back fit for Crokes and Kerry it was only a matter of time before Bernard Brogan did similar via twitter.
The 2011 player of the year rejoins his 2012 player of the year and brother Alan for another crack at Sam. As comebacks go though, they all pale in significance when compared to Joe Sheridan who has spectacularly ‘un-emigrated’ himself in time for Meath’s opener. It has opened the door for players scattered all over the world to come home.
There’s no shame in it lads.