Players to get what they need not what they want

As you can imagine, the decision to introduce the mandatory wearing of mouthguards at all levels of Gaelic football was met with mixed opinions among inter-county players.

In most cases, a gumshield is something most footballers have discarded because of discomfort in breathing.

Monaghan’s Darren Hughes made that very point in reacting to the decision by Congress two years ago to introduce the measure, which started in January at all levels up to and including minor level.