Kettle: Munster right for Galway

Dublin chairman Andy Kettle believes Galway wish to enter their minor and U21s hurlers into the Leinster championships because they regard it as the easier province.

Kettle understands why Galway regard the decision by Leinster counties not to permit them into the minor and U21 championships as selfish. However, he feels Galway should return to the Munster championship while Antrim play in the Leinster competitions.

Asked if the decision to allow Galway into all Leinster’s U21 and minor grades should be taken out of the provincial council’s hands, Kettle responded: “It doesn’t necessarily need to be taken out of Leinster’s hands but it doesn’t necessarily mean that the decision imposed would be that the teams come into Leinster. You would then have one side of the competition overloaded against the other side.

“In fairness to Galway, they obviously see Leinster as the easier option from a competition point of view but that’s my opinion.”

Meanwhile, Kettle said Leinster’s decision to keep Dublin footballers’ Leinster quarter-final in Croke Park illustrates they are a “cash cow for the province and central funds”.

He said there are large GAA “wastelands” in the capital that need financial support to penetrate.

“It’s much easier to have equalisation if you have the money. If you have less money somebody is going to get hurt. The more money that can be generated, it keeps everybody happy. There is no official verdict as to if there will be a cut to Dublin’s funding. We’d hope we at least receive the same as last year.”