Delaney: Aylward proposal unrealistic

A NOBLE aspiration but not achievable in the ‘‘real world’’.

That’s how Leinster Council Secretary Michael Delaney yesterday responded to the call for winning Ballyhale Shamrocks manager Maurice Aylward to have the provincial club hurling finals ‘‘showcased’’ in the summer. “It’s a pity the games have to be pushed back so late in the year,’’ he said following their victory over holders Birr in Nowlan Park.

“I just could not believe his comments,’’ Delaney said when asked to respond. “When is he going to play the county championship, or is he talking about playing the club championship a year behind schedule,’’ he asked.

In principle, he fully agrees with Aylward that hurling should be played in June and July but concedes players wouldn’t be released from the county panel in the middle of championship preparations.

In Leinster, the Council sets a deadline for the completion of the hurling championship by the end of November and with the draws being made in early July, county committees are able to plan their domestic fixture schedules accordingly. Delaney said: “The provincial council would have no problem playing the club finals for any part of the year, but we’re talking about the real world. County championships could be completed by July if we didn’t have this thing called the Liam McCarthy Cup interfering!’’

Delaney was also dismissive of

Aylward’s comments about the qualifier series being a deterrent to progress, saying there was ‘‘no connect’’ between the two issues.

“I know a lot of people are not interested in the qualifiers and they hold little interest for Kilkenny people. But they have to have opponents to play — and for the likes of Laois, Dublin and Westmeath, the qualifier series is where they fit into the scheme of things.’’

Additionally, the Leinster boss agreed that it wouldn’t be feasible to complete the club championships in the calendar year, as had been proposed at Special Congress. “At one stage in the debate it looked as if this might be accepted, but suddenly it dawned on people that county finals would have to be over by September. And then they changed their minds.