Weekend shocks send ripple through provinces
Few could have predicted that Down, Dublin, Cork and Kildare would be the last four standing in this year’s All-Ireland Championship.
But, unpredictability, is one of the great attractions of sport. From the GAA perspective the last four are hugely important. Huge work has gone into promoting the game in Dublin – even when I was president, I chaired a special sub-committee in promoting Gaelic games in the county. It is rare a president would be expected – or probably allowed – chair a sub-committee exclusive to one county. Love them or hate them, we need the Dubs. A successful Dublin team is the best possible promotion for the GAA. Kildare too, has seen a massive population explosion in recent years and it’s important for the GAA to put down firm roots in burgeoning urban areas.
Cork is Ireland’s biggest county and if they weren’t strong in football the Munster championship would have been greatly diminished over the years. They haven’t won Sam Maguire since 1990 – too long for such a proud county. And then there’s Down – the first great romantics of modern football. The Mourne men always bring something special when they come to Croke Park.
The downside of all this romance is at what cost to the provincial championship. A week ago we saw all provincial runners-up bite the dust. Now last weekend we saw all provincial winners follow suit. The fallout from that statistic will be very interesting. Managers and players and the GPA can add a lot to that debate.
Of primary significance will be the attitude of managers of successful teams in recent years at provincial and All-Ireland level. Jack O’Connor and Mickey Harte made no secret of their desire to win at provincial level. Harte’s desire is to win every game and treat every competition with respect. O’Connor, though, with an eye on September thought the short route of success to All-Ireland glory was through the front door of provincial success.
What do they think now? If both Harte and O’Connor were to say that success at provincial level was detrimental to All-Ireland glory, it would be a massive blow to the beleaguered provincial championships.
Their comments over the next few months will be interesting. Then if Kilkenny and Waterford were to be beaten in the All-Ireland SHC semi-finals and they, too, were to say that the provincial set up as it is, does not reward success, that would created a tsunami for change.
Right now, the most worried officials in the GAA are at provincial council level. And they have good reason to be. Already the backdoor has knocked thousands off those attending many provincial finals – when did you have a full house for a Munster provincial final last? So while we acknowledge and celebrate the romance of the qualifiers at national level, what price is it going to have at provincial level down the line if this year’s trend continues and success at provincial level is seen as a graveyard to success at national level?
Expect a long debate over the winter fires on this one.
