Players’ commitment opened my eyes to potential of interpros
Attendances have dwindled dramatically from a couple of thousand to being able to count the number of people in the stand at a glance, like you could at last week’s semi-finals. One hundred or so at the hurling in Semple and a similar crowd in Parnell Park for the football. Five-hundred-odd gathered in Carrick-on-Shannon on Saturday for the football final.
Where did it all go wrong? I was always honoured and privileged to play for my province. Medals were hard to come by with Tipp, and this was an opportunity for the likes of myself to mix it with the best in the country.
Lining out in the full-forward line in the Munster blue with Dara Ó Cinnede and Colm Cooper in 2002 is one of my most cherished memories playing at that level.
I was lucky enough to play Railway Cup on five occasions, winning one in 1999, and only missing out on for a few years through injury. Don’t get me wrong, it was never glamorous. It was usually played in the muck and shite of the winter, but it still held a prestige for players.
To the non-committed looking in, the interprovincials have run their course. But my perspective changed dramatically this year, following my involvement as a selector with Munster at the request of Ger O’ Sullivan. Every player I rang to join the squad was eager to play. No player refused out of lack of interest, even if some missed out due to injury or prearranged family commitments, keeping in mind that the games were fixed for two weeks before Christmas. The Kerry panel were away on their team holiday, so Aidan O’Mahony and Tommy Walsh were their only representatives.
But however much the players still respect the competition, the GAA seems quite happy to sit back and watch it fizzle out. It’s an inconvenience for them to try to fit it into their calendar. There is little effort to publicise or promote it, compared to for example, what is done for the International Rules series. I don’t deny there are constraints on the calendar but to push the football final to the weekend before Christmas is farcical.
Man alternatives have been floated. Bring the games outside the country, some argue. But this has been tried, with the hurling final being played in Rome in 2003 and the football final in Paris in 2004. The initiative wasn’t a success.
Connacht manager John Tobin suggested playing the games on All-Ireland weekend, the semis on Friday night and the final on Saturday night under lights. I see huge merit in this, especially when you take into account the club sevens being played earlier in the day. There is a ready-made market in the capital that weekend and interest in the games is at its peak.
Without being biased, the hundred or so people in Parnell Park last Sunday were treated to a cracking game. The players took it very seriously despite long, hard seasons and it had all the cut and thrust of championship football albeit at a slightly slower pace. It must have been refreshing too for the players to go out and just play football.
Inter-county football has become so restrictive with tactics, match-ups, gameplans etc that players do not often get the opportunity to express themselves the way they would like to. From what I saw last weekend, a sense of camaraderie and respect between players was there in abundance From drawing first blood in the Munster championship to pulling on the same interprovincial jersey, they understand the sacrifices each other have made, They left everything on the field for each other.
Not to single out anyone, but hats off to Clare’s Gary Brennan who had no hesitation in making himself available despite having won a Munster club hurling medal a few weeks ago with his club Ballyea and having an All-Ireland semi-final to look forward to in the New Year. His commitment epitomises what the spirit of the Railway Cup means.
I sincerely hope there is a future for this competition and that the GAA can somehow give it the respect it deserves. Ring-fencing a fair date on the calendar would be a start. It seems to be too easy of late to assume the games have run their course when the GAA cannot honestly say it has made every effort to keep this once brilliant competition alive.
