Colleges chair Mallie hits back in Sigerson row

THE country’s top colleges GAA official has blasted claims that the timing of third-level competitions are the primary sources of burnout in football and hurling.

At the recent National Football League launch, Kildare boss Kieran McGeeney questioned the need for a blanket ban on inter-county training during November and December, claiming that “the players we’re trying to protect most, are still out with the colleges anyway. I’d be more into proper education about how to use the off-season”.

His comments were echoed by Galway manager Joe Kernan who noted: “Everything is very compressed into January, and this week, one of our students did seven days in a row, which I think is totally unfair.”