Kernan calls for revamp of interprovincials fixtures
And, while director general Páraic Duffy states in his annual report that many of the leading players do not make themselves available to the provincial selectors, Kernan is adamant that the players do want the games to continue.
The former Armagh boss, in his second year as Ulster manager, agrees with Duffy on one point — the need for the competitions to be self-financing.
“It’s still an important competition from the players point of view. The players want the Railway Cup to continue and they’ve shown that by the amounts that turn out every year. So I think for the players we’ve got to keep it, but the timing has got to be better.
“Nobody wants to play in a stadium with your best players, with 200 people at it. The Cork footballers played recently in front of 500, which doesn’t look good either.’’
The hurling competition has already been completed — with a high-profile final in Abu Dhabi linked to Etihad Airways’ involvement as one of the sponsors of the All-Ireland championship — but no date has been set so far for football. In Kernan’s opinion, they could have played the semi-finals mid-week during the recent break in the National League and played the finals on St Patrick’s Day. That remains his favoured option.
“We’re not saying this is for life,’’ he commented. We could try it for a year or two and see how it goes.’’
He expects that the games will be played towards the latter end of the year, hoping that there won’t be a direct clash with the International Rules Series. “The dates will be sorted out in the next few weeks. They’re talking about October or November, but you can’t have it in October because that’s the Australian Rules time.
“Put it in a time when it suits all parties so that we’re not arguing and not fighting. Around St Patrick’s Day I think is a good time. There is a break in the league. We’re not looking to train the players for two or three months. It’s a couple of ‘get togethers’ before the match, play the match, and go out for St Patrick’s Day.’’
Kernan, who says he will never manage another inter-county team — “I just don’t have the same passion for anybody else that I have for my club and my county’’ — is favourable towards the idea of the Tyrone/Armagh championship game being played in Croke Park. “If you can put 50,000 or 60,000 in to watch a match I think that’s good. If you can’t, you look at the next best. It is a home venue for Tyrone and they have first say on it but I know that Mickey Harte wants it in Croke.
“The Ulster Council don’t want it there, but no matter what decision you make some people are going to be disappointed. Not everyone is going to be able to go to Omagh and if you take it away from there some people will think that’s wrong. If you take it away from Ulster and bring the game to Clones some people will complain. But, to me, if 60,000 people want to watch that match then play it in the right place. “If they don’t want to go for that then it has to be played in Omagh. It’s as simple as that!’’
*In his Congress report, Paraic Duffy points out that whether the interprovincial games are played at home or abroad, they are expensive to stage. “In a time of recession and cutbacks, competitions that are not, at the very least, self-financing must be questioned,” he wrote.
In 2007, the gross gate returns from the interprovincials was a mere €8,910. Costs incurred in staging the games amounted to €37,979 and in addition to the payment of team expenses totalling €45,000 there was a contribution of €535 to the Players Injury fund.
It meant that there was a net loss of €74,604.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
