McGill hits out at critics of scheduling

GAA director of games administration and player welfare, Feargal McGill, says he cringes when he hears “simplistic criticisms” of the association’s championship fixtures scheduling.

Twelve football games are down for decision this Saturday and Sunday as opposed to one last weekend.

While acknowledging there are an uneven amount of games over the two weekends, McGill argues it’s a by-product of necessary long-term fixture scheduling.

He also slams those who have condemned the arrangements without first recognising the intricacies of the procedure.

“From a personal perspective, I cringe when I hear simplistic criticisms being made of a complex subject,” he said.

“But at times, you just have to laugh it off when you see people getting on soapboxes about something they don’t comprehend.”

McGill acknowledges arranging fixtures seven months in advance can lead to problems but insists such forward planning is fundamental to the GAA.

“The national fixtures need to be made in November to allow county boards to arrange club fixture programmes.

“The earliest date we could have had the qualifier draw was June 12. We had no way of knowing in advance who would be in that draw.

“We had to keep June 18 free last November to allow for the possibility of New York beating Roscommon.

“Had New York beaten Roscommon, there would have had to be an extra preliminary round.

“Those who focus solely on the national championships will ask why can’t we play the qualifiers any earlier. The truth is had we done it would have meant club games being rescheduled.

“Anyone who knows the GAA realises weddings, holidays, christening, even birthday parties are often planned around our games. So a change like that would cause massive unrest.

“From our perspective, we will continue to plan eight or nine months in advance.”

McGill also claims criticism of the championship fixtures structure is short-sighted and fails to take into consideration clubs’ entitlements.

“The GAA doesn’t end and begin with the All-Ireland championships. Full stop.

“We have hundreds of thousands of games. Cork alone have about 14,000 games to play off every year.

“However much people in the national media or those commenting make the point, the All-Ireland championships, while attracting the greatest profile, are not our sole priority.”

McGill has also said the GAA are open to the idea of constricting the length of the All-Ireland championships if it is possible.

Last month, Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) chairman Seamus Woods asked why it takes 19 weekends to conduct the two parallel championships.

McGill stated: “The GAA has a system of fixture planners at county, provincial and national level. This system is only in place two years.

“One of the things our fixtures planners have been asked to look at the national games programme and in due course they will come with recommendations to the CCCC on that matter.

“Whether or not anything significant can be changed, we don’t know.”

Meanwhile, Kilkenny are to canvass the rest of Leinster to see is there an appetite for introducing a home and away system in the provincial hurling championship.

Following the successful staging of semi-finals in O’Connor Park and Wexford Park in recent weeks, Kilkenny chairman Paul Kinsella said it was time to move to a home and away system in Leinster.

“We are certainly interested in it. We have always been in favour of the home and away system.”