Donnelly: future of interpros unclear

SPONSOR Martin Donnelly has indicated that the interprovincial football championship will be held later this year but hinted that the future of the tournament remains up for debate.

GAA president Christy Cooney echoed the words of his predecessor Nickey Brennan yesterday in confirming the association’s support for both the Interpros and the Poc Fada “as long as the players continue to enjoy it”.

However, the tournament has been on life support for years and has only survived thanks to the continued backing of Donnelly who said that a date for the football competition will be addressed in September.

“The update is that the hurling has been held for this year. We start to look at the football date after the All-Ireland and try to fit it into some date or venue.

“At the moment there are a lot of bigger issues concerning the hierarchy of the association.

“At the moment I wouldn’t even bother raising it. There was dates pencilled in for it for some time in October but venues had to be decided and the format. There is going to be a football final and then next year we don’t know.

“Christy said earlier that, as long as the players want it, they will support it, so we can only go with that.”

Last April’s trip to the Middle East was the brainchild of Etihad Airways and, while there is talk that the company may be willing to repeat such a venture, it is clear that the competition cannot flourish or even exist as things stand.

“That could be looked at,” said Donnelly of a football trip to the desert. “Anything is possible as long as the will is there. That’s all I would say. We did work it in alternate years (before). We brought the hurling to Boston, brought the football to Paris and the hurling to Rome. Again, it is the time of the year with Abu Dhabi. You have to go in March or April. At the moment or in September you wouldn’t be out in the open. It is over 40-45 degrees there later on in our season.”

Finding a space for the football competition has been complicated by the revival of the International Rules which will be held in Ireland this year towards the end of October and start of November.

Said Donnelly: “My feeling is that hurling needs it more than football because the football has an outlet with the International Rules. Even though it is held in alternative years they (the footballers) will get their trip to Australia to show the game.

“Hurling by its nature can be brought abroad. People are fascinated by it and maybe it is worth holding it. The problem is that when you go to the second half of the year it is difficult. Club championships have to be run and counties and provinces are trying to get their things done before Christmas.”

Meanwhile, Donnelly believes that Meath’s promotion from the Nicky Rackard to Christy Ring Cup should not be forfeited or jeopardised because of the controversy over relegation from the Liam MacCarthy Cup.

Donnelly is a long-time sponsor of the Meath hurlers who secured their promotion to the second tier courtesy of a six-points defeat of London in the Rackard final earlier this month.

“Whoever else has to suffer, they shouldn’t have to suffer. Meath won all their matches. They feel that they are promoted and you are hardly going to improve hurling if you keep knocking them back every year.

“It’s not their issue. They haven’t created it and they shouldn’t be punished in any way for this. I have been involved with Meath hurling for ten years. This is the first time I have ever seen them playing hurling in July.

“They won a cup, a national competition. It is the first time I have seen them playing in Croke Park. They played well and they deserved to move up. They have won the right and they expect to play in the Christy Ring next year. Carlow expect to be playing in the MacCarthy Cup and they shouldn’t be penalised either.”