Sir, - Your Gaelic Games correspondent, Sean Moran, appears to be in contradictary mood. On Saturday, April 10th he appeared to advise any team wishing to win this year's All-Ireland Football Final to make sure that they were beaten at League quarter-final stage. Yet the following Monday he described the attendance at the Croke Park games as pitiful. Surely he cannot expect the fans to encourage their team's later downfall in the Championship by actively supporting them in person at the League quarter-final stage?
The whole situation is, of course, quite ridiculous. During the summer months half the county football teams play only one competitive match and after two matches only a quarter of competing teams are still active. Yet, in the depths of winter, when almost nobody with any sense is interested, every county is guaranteed at least seven games in an apparently meaningless competition. By my reckoning, Dublin have played only three competitive matches (one a replay) over the past two years. Is it any wonder, then, that Gaelic games are struggling in urban centres when the poverty of opportunities to see the county team in competitive action means that no worthwhile sustainable support can be generated, as with the likes of Manchester United?
The answer to the problem is a league-cum-championship, commencing in April, with each county team guaranteed at least seven games in League format, and then the top two teams in each division advancing to knockout stages during August and September. This schedule would not interfere with club schedules as, for most counties, only seven dates would be involved.
I have no doubt that such a competition would generate huge interest, would create tremendous inter-county tourism with supporters travelling during clement weather to support their team, and would almost certainly quadruple the GAA's current income. Who knows, there might even be a few bob for the players at the end of it all.
As we approach the millennium the GAA is facing huge competition from soccer and - especially in rural Ireland - rugby. These are two organisations with very meaningful competitive calendars - unlike the GAA. But it's not just about the players either. It is about the thousands of would-be fans, like myself, who would love to attend matches regularly from the month of April onwards but just do not have the games to go to. - Yours, etc.,
Daniel O'Donoghue, Cork Road, Blarney, Co. Cork.