Take nothing for granted in new deal

AS ever, the devil is in the detail. Yesterday’s announcement of the nuts and bolts of the administration of GAA player grants made for interesting reading. The first general sensation — relief the threat of strike action has been lifted — will soon subside, as dressing-room lawyers study the small print.

And they’ll find very interesting provisions, particularly the criteria for participation in the schemes. Whatever about managers or players, team trainers are going to have their hands full.

For instance, take the “player responsibilities”, which establish that players must “attend at least 80% of training sessions/matches ... demonstrate improvement through regular fitness testing ... strict adherence to anti-doping code... players who violate the code will not receive awards.”