GPA may get involved over Friday night championship dictat

The GPA could yet act on the behalf of the Carlow and Laois football panels as they have confirmed neither they nor the players were consulted about Friday week’s All-Ireland round one qualifier.

As players from both players have criticised the move, the official players body reiterated they are supportive in principle of the GAA trying out a Friday night slot but strictly with the co-operation of the teams involved.

They are currently ascertaining if any of the players on each side were sounded out about the June 28 game in Dr Cullen Park, which has been given a 7.45pm throw-in by the Central Competitions Control Committee.

“We haven’t been consulted and as far as we know the players weren’t consulted,” said the GPA’s head of communications Seán Potts.

“We are currently liaising with the players over what consultation if any happened.

“We’re on record as saying Friday evening games are a progressive step and while we don’t disagree with that we said for it to take place there would have to be consultation with the squads. As some of the players have highlighted (on Twitter), they are issues about work and not being able to get out of work.

“Teams have midweek challenge matches in the evening as well as training but this is an inter-county Championship match that they’ve been training for and working towards all year. It’s too big an occasion for them to be let down by loose arrangements. If squads were in agreement to play it then that’s fine but as far as we’re aware they weren’t.”

Players from both teams — Laois’ MJ Tierney, Mark Timmons and Peter O’Leary as well as Carlow captain Brian Murphy, Daniel St Ledger, Sean Gannon and Darragh Foley — have hit out at the decision.

On Twitter yesterday, St Ledger wrote: “Hard for lads to do a full days work and then try play a knockout championship game! Nearly have to take a day off!”