GPA slams Congress vote to cull panels

THE GPA last night criticised GAA authorities for voting to reduce inter county squads.

Delegates at the GAA Annual Congress were almost unanimously in favour of cutting county panels from 30 to 24. However the GPA said the move was “logistically, morally and culturally wrong”.

“Just weeks after the introduction of significant price hikes for tickets was specifically attributed to the increasing cost of squad preparation, the GAA has chosen to penalise players,” GPA chief executive Dessie Farrell said. “In an era of unprecedented commercial opportunity and revenue within Gaelic games, this cost-cutting policy can only be construed as ill-conceived and discriminatory against fringe players.