Sir, - Your Gaelic Games correspondent, Sean Moran, comments (The Irish Times, October 13th) on the reluctance of the organisers of the touring party playing compromise rules in Australia to use the oval ball.
Back in 1983 the Dublin Colleges' GAA Committee brought a party of under-17 footballers to Melbourne. The tour was led by the chairman, Dan Hanley, with myself as coach. Niall Quinn of present soccer fame was the captain of the group.
We trained for a number of months beforehand with the oval ball, used it when playing the Aussies and won the series. Our players adapted very quickly to its use, the highlight of the tour being a most exciting match in the Melbourne Cricket Ground which ended in a draw, 74 points being scored by each team.
If under-17 footballers from Ireland succeeded with the Australian ball and managed to win the series, I don't see why senior players cannot do the same. Certainly I think the ball should be used for alternate series, making the endeavour a more equitable one. -Yours, etc.,
Vincent Banville, New Cabra Road, Dublin 7.