What a year for the GPA

LOVE or loathe them, one has to admit that it has been a great year for the GPA.

They started off the year by firming up the Government’s grants to intercounty players. In this the GPA played a blinder as they rolled with the punches, convincing everybody that this was to go, and even coolly stepping aside to allow the GAA to give the impression that it was they, not the GPA, that had done all the running on it.

The truth is that many in the GAA and elsewhere were cleverly backed into a corner by the GPA and were forced to pretend that they were enthusiastic about the scheme when they were secretly apprehensive or totally against it.

The timing of the introduction was also exquisite. Could you imagine the Government bringing in the scheme now? Not a hope on earth.

But the wily corner-forward from the capital, Dessie Farrell, had the ball in the fiscal net long before the subprime boys and hedge funders brought things tumbling down.

The GPA also stole a march on the GAA during the season when they initiated and implemented their very worthwhile scheme of twinning strong hurling counties with weaker counties and arranged for star players to land in helicopters and take training sessions in the weaker counties. An initiative that generated goodwill and left a lasting impression.

But what were the GAA doing for the weaker counties? A lot, perhaps, but the general public don’t hear about it. I am sure the hurling director, Paudie Butler was busy but the publicity wasn’t flowing. Instead all we were reading about was the downgrading of the Christy Ring and Nicky Rackard Cups.

Central Council, in my time as Uachtaran, had agreed these finals would be played as immediate curtain-raisers to the All-Ireland semi-finals, but for the second year in a row, it didn’t happen.

Then a couple of years ago the GPA decided to have its own All-Stars scheme. They weren’t called All-Stars, of course. The Vodafone All-Stars Banquet was always held in early December, then along came the GPA and held theirs in November. It generated great publicity and was well organised. Nothing much was said in official quarters but did you notice that this year the All-Star banquet and team announcement were brought forward to October 17.

I wonder why? Could it be to get in ahead of the GPA? Of course not, who would ever think of such a thing! Be that as it may, the GPA’s banquet was held in the City West last Friday. It was a real gala affair as the players and their guests let their hair down and had a ball. Dessie, as is his wont, rammed home a few points (and goals) and demanded official recognition from the GAA. But it was official recognition and “funding” to secure the GPA’s future that Dessie mentioned, as he emphasised all the money rolling into the GAA “on the backs of the players”.

Interesting, very interesting indeed — well, the GPA isn’t on its back or on the floor either. Neither is the Na Fianna forward. Was that Dessie who was checking out the availability of the City West for a banquet at the end of September next year?