Donnelly: GPA can help revive interpros

RENOWNED GAA patron Martin Donnelly has called on the GAA to allow the GPA to take ownership of the interprovincial football and hurling series to revive the sidelined competition.

Donnelly, the sponsor of the hurling and football competitions before they were axed this year, is determined to see the games back on the GAA calendar and is recommending that the official players body be allowed to run them with the proceeds from them to be put into hardship and injury funds.

“If the GAA, as they appear to have shown, don’t want to run with it they should let the GPA organise it and make it the players’ competition,” said Donnelly.

“The players are the people who sell the GAA and the public will support them. If they are allowed to promote and organise the competition, I have no doubt that it would be a success.

“As an incentive and for their efforts, the gate receipts could go directly towards a central players’ fund be it for injuries or hardship.

“God knows it’s a difficult time for everyone but especially for players who are making sacrifices and holding onto jobs at the same time. This could be a thank you for all that they have given us.

“It would still be organised under the auspices of the GAA but by letting the players run it themselves, the GAA would be showing goodwill to the people who make our games such an attraction.”

Donnelly has suggested that the games be run off as an end-of-season affair on one or two weekends around the time of the All Stars or the GPA’s own awards. And he is convinced that the players want to see the games back.

“The reasons why I continued to sponsor the interprovincials were because it is a competition that is 90 years old — we have four provinces and that should be represented in our games. But above all, the players want it,” he added.

“If they didn’t I wouldn’t still be interested in supporting the competition. In London last year (where the football final was played between Ulster and Munster), Tyrone footballer Stephen O’Neill led a players’ deputation where he asked Christy Cooney to keep it going. I’m still receiving calls from players who want to the interprovincials back. Nine Kilkenny players lined out for Leinster last year. Okay, there was a trip to Abu Dhabi but they had 10 playing in 2007 when there wasn’t.”

Donnelly has also revealed he is willing to sponsor the competitions again.

“I would be delighted to do it but if they want somebody else who would be better in serving the concept I’d be happy to stand aside. But the reason the interprovincials are dormant is not because of sponsorship. The GAA just don’t seem to want them.”

Donnelly’s fellow Clareman, former Munster chairman Noel Walsh, is hoping that a motion to his county’s convention next week will take the first step towards reviving the competition.

Through his club Milltown Malbay, he wants Congress to set up a task force to help restore it. However, Donnelly argues that such a motion wouldn’t have been necessary if promises were kept.

“It’s sad that nothing has been discussed since London,” he said. “I could understand why there was a reluctance to get things going on the football side of the competition because of the love-in with the Australians in the International Rules but there were commitments given that undertakings would be made.

“Christy Cooney had mentioned that a committee would be set up to find ways of keeping the interprovincials going. There was talk of a team including the likes of Joe Kernan and Ger O’Sullivan being formed, people who care for the competition, but that hasn’t happened.

“If there is inactivity it’s only a matter of time before the interprovincials are forgotten about altogether.”

Donnelly is particularly disappointed with Cooney’s attitude to the competition.

“In London last year, he said that he would do all he could to keep the interprovincials alive in his term of office.

“Now we hear him saying that they have seen their day.”

Cooney is on record as saying that he would support it as long as the players did.

However, he added: “But that’s if all the inter-county players would give that type of commitment and if we don’t end up in a situation with players not being available.”

GPA chief executive Dessie Farrell has already said that after consulting with their membership he is of the belief the players want the competition. ]

Picture: Martin Donnelly pictured with Connacht captain Andy Coen and Leinster captain JJ Delaney ahead of last year’s interpro hurling final (INPHO)