Club before county: old winning formula is best

THE strike called by the Gaelic Players’ Association presents the GAA with a unique opportunity of reverting to its roots.

For some years after the GAA’s foundation, the club championship was the premier competition. During those years, clubs like Dromtariffe, Clondrohid, Aghabullogue, Dungourney, Laune Rangers, Toomevara, Moycarkey, Mooncoin and Tullaroan became nationally famous.

In recent years, the clubs appear to have become the poor relations of the GAA. There is now a ludicrous situation where if even one member of a club is on the county panel, club championships are held up for weeks and sometimes even months.