Ladies football first from now on as GAA come on side
In an act of solidarity, the Association’s Management Committee took the move on Friday after the LGFA were forced to push back their finals to next Sunday following the All-Ireland senior and minor hurling final draws.
Coiste Bainistí also decided that in the event of both senior hurling and camogie finals ending in a draw, the replays will take place as part of a double-header.
“We have done a bit of work on calendar for the year,” said GAA president Liam O’Neill. “We’ve put the ladies final now on the fourth Sunday of September. That’s a firm date in the calendar. It will be played on a Saturday if there’s a replay.
“Why did we always have the ladies final the Sunday after the football final? I don’t think that’s sustainable when you’re making plans ahead. We’ve given the ladies a day and we’ll find a home for our replays and that’s basically it.
“We’ve also said that if the camogie and the hurling finals are drawn the two will be played on the same day. We will give them the platform.
“The three presidents [GAA, camogie and ladies football] are working hard together to get more children involved in our games and we have to walk the walk on this one as well.
“The set of circumstances this year have given us the opportunity to step back and re-evaluate that and say ‘this just can’t go on’.”
O’Neill said the GAA will be focusing a lot of their energies on international promotion when the broadcasting rights are on the table again at the end of next year.
“Our priority at the moment is to get our games viewed abroad and get them a platform for them on the international TV. That’s the biggest challenge we have.”
Meanwhile, O’Neill has revealed how touched he was by Donegal captain’s Michael Murphy’s expression of condolences to him prior to accepting the Sam Maguire Cup following the death of his sister.
The Laois man’s sibling Barbara had passed away less than 24 hours before the All-Ireland SFC final.
“At least four of the Dublin minor panel sympathised and I think they showed great presence of mind at a time of excitement for them.
“The one that left the biggest impression with me was when Michael Murphy should have been delirious with excitement and getting his hands on the cup, his first thought was to sympathise with me.
“And I was just really struck by the courtesy, the kindness, the thought and the presence of mind of the young man to do that.”
“He’s an exceptional young captain and a fine player and I think he’s worth every accolade that’s heaped on him.
“It was just the most moving thing that happened to me over the weekend, I have to say.”
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