European GAA bids to join Leinster junior championship

The Leinster Council have received an application from Europe GAA for their champions to compete in the provincial junior football championship this year.

Along with Asia and Australasia, Europe are one of three international boards affiliated with Leinster and are proposing the winners of their championship in September participate in the provincial competition, with Dutch city Maastricht as their home base. Logistics appear the only potential stumbling block as travel arrangements would have to be made hastily in October, the costs of which would have to be considered before any decision is made.

The matter will be discussed further at a Leinster Council meeting tonight, where this year’s provincial junior club draws will be made. Although the European champions won’t be included in the draw, they can be facilitated at a later stage in a preliminary round.

Provincial chairman Martin Skelly sees a lot of merit in a European club being incorporated in the Leinster club championships.

“It’s indicative of where the game is going overseas,” he said. The standard is decent and every time we’ve gone to games, they’ve been very competitive.

“There are over 50 clubs in Europe as well as in Asia and the appeal of Gaelic games is growing in those areas with people emigrating and football and hurling being promoted more.

“The next step for Europe is this and they want to test the water. They have a representative on Central Council (Tony Bass) and while I can’t comment on what the decision will be, I would be disappointed if we didn’t look upon it favourably. If all the arrangements can be worked out and there is agreement, I don’t see why we couldn’t proceed with it.”

Although the European Gaelic football championships are played on an 11-a-side basis, Skelly has been advised there are a number of teams who would be strong enough to compete at 15-a-side at junior level in Leinster.

He believes another alternative would be a second tier interprovincial competition for international teams. “We’re into inter-pro season and a day is coming where we could have inter-pro A and B where teams from Asia, America and Europe play one another. If there is a hunger for representative football, it’s a logical step.”

Pat Gilroy’s Leinster face Meath in a challenge tomorrow in Ashbourne (7.30pm) as they warm up for the M Donnelly Interprovincial FC semi-final against Connacht next month.