Kieran Shannon: Friday night GAA matches proposal has more precedent than people realise

RTÉ head of sport Declan Bennett suggested inter-county GAA matches could be played on a Friday night to facilitate more televised broadcast. The idea was met with opposition but it's not as radical a notion as some believe

THURSDAY NIGHT LIGHTS: In 2003, Offaly beat Limerick in All-Ireland Hurling Championship qualifier played on a Thursday night at Semple Stadium. Pic: Brendan Moran / SPORTSFILE *EDI*

In some quarters Declan McBennett’s idea of staging and televising inter-county games during the week has been labelled as radical and even ridiculous and a threat to the GAA’s amateur status but you’d have to wonder if such quarters are familiar with some of the history and current practices of the sport.

Friday night football is not virgin territory to the championship. In 2013, neighbours Carlow and Laois played an All-Ireland qualifier on such a particular evening, a development the then GPA communications officer Seán Potts roundly considered “a progressive idea”.