No fear of leagues being hurt
Their expression comes as Dublin’s Ryan O’Dwyer insists the result of this Sunday’s game against Waterford is irrelevant to them.
In Division 1B, there is speculation Clare could field a weakened team against Offaly, having already qualified for the final.
In football, Kerry and Tyrone, already guaranteed top spots in divisions 1 and 2, face relegation-threatened Mayo and Monaghan respectively on Sunday week.
GAA director of games administration and player welfare, Feargal McGill, insists the issue is not exclusive to the GAA but is fully aware of it.
“It’s a matter for every manager to play whatever team they think is appropriate,” stated McGill. “That said, we hope the integrity of the competitions are upheld.
“People want to see their best players against the best from other counties.
“This is not unique to the GAA. In the GAA, we’re talking about a very small minority. I’d also think it would be dangerous to overestimate the scale of the problem.
“We’re seven or eight weeks away from the start of the championship and players want to be playing.”
Although Dublin’s hurlers are already consigned to a Division 1A relegation play-off, they could have a big say in whom they meet in that April 15 game. A win or draw would ensure they face Waterford again, although a fifth straight defeat in Dungarvan and they could be lining out against Galway.
Dublin manager Anthony Daly yesterday admitted he was uncertain what approach to take to the game. However, the idea of doing Galway a favour doesn’t come into O’Dwyer’s reckoning.
The Cashel native refused to divulge who he would prefer to face in the play-off, but he highlighted Galway will want Joe Canning back in a trapdoor decider.
“All we can do is go out and play the game. Whether we win or not, that’s irrelevant. We know we’re in a final, we’ll be playing either Waterford if we beat them or, if we don’t, the likelihood is we’ll be playing Galway.
“We know we’ve to play in a relegation final so whoever we’re playing, we know we have to beat them.
“It’s 15 against 15 and I’m sure Galway will want Canning back if they’re in it.”
O’Dwyer acknowledges Dublin’s championship could be overshadowed by a potential drop to Division 1B, just 12 months after they were Division 1 league champions.
But he is adamant they will retain their top-flight status.
“As far as we’re concerned we’re going to stay up.”
O’Dwyer blames himself for the defeat to Kilkenny in last Sunday week’s classic after picking up a second yellow card in the second half, when he connected with Richie Power.
“I take personal responsibility. It was my stupidity that got us into that position in the first place. I let my head get the better of me.
“I think we would have won that game only for me. I just have to redeem myself.”
Despite Dublin’s league position, O’Dwyer is enthused by the new blood in the team, especially the likes of Danny Sutcliffe, who has starred against John Gardiner and Tommy Walsh.
“I was joking with Danny in the showers afterwards and said to Danny, ‘when I played with Tipp, John Gardiner finished my Tipp career, you could have finished his Cork career’.
He added: “I hope I don’t come up against Gardiner this year!”
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