GAA's Interpros run risk of cancellation

The GAA’s Interprovincials are in danger of being cancelled after all six games were postponed due to Storm Desmond over the weekend.

Players and management from counties who travelled to host provinces Connacht and Ulster have expressed reservations about the competition going ahead.

The Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) will today decide on whether the games will be played — and this weekend appears the only viable option.

Ulster, for one, have said they are interested in staging the football competition in Newry and Armagh.

However, several players are unlikely to be available next weekend. Michael Quinlivan will be in London for Clonmel Commercials’ All-Ireland club SFC quarter-final against Tir Chonaill Gaels. Several hurlers will also be out of commission because of the All Stars trip to Texas, while former Tipperary midfielder Shane McGrath is due to get married next weekend and many of his ex-teammates are set to attend the ceremony.

Others have questioned the logic of making journeys to Galway, Newry, and Armagh for the second week in a row.

The Munster footballers travelled to Newry on Friday night ahead of their semi-final against Leinster, which was scheduled to take place in Páirc Esler on Saturday afternoon.

The CCCC may choose to host the semi-finals and finals in different venues on separate weekends but the Ulster Council wish to see the Munster-Leinster and Ulster-Connacht football games go ahead in Newry and Armagh, respectively.

“If it doesn’t happen this weekend, then it won’t happen at all for this year,” said an Ulster Council spokesman yesterday.

“It will be up to the CCCC in Croke Park to decide on Monday, but we would be interested in hosting the games this weekend if it’s logistically possible for the other provinces.”

Meanwhile, the All-Ireland senior camogie championship has been altered to avoid a repeat of last year’s controversy which saw Dublin and Clare face-off in a play-off after finishing on the same number of points. The pair had initially withdrawn from the competition having been told a coin toss would decide who would progress to a quarter-final.

Three points will be awarded for a win instead of two, so as to reduce the likelihood of teams finishing on level points after the group stages. Teams that finish level on points will proceed to the next round on the basis of superior accumulated score difference. If teams finish level on scoring difference, a play-off will decide who goes through.