Páraic Duffy: County boards will take blame if Championship not finished on schedule

County boards will shoulder all the blame should club championships not be completed on schedule this year.

That was the impassioned assertion of GAA director general Páraic Duffy in Croke Park yesterday as he delivered his 11th and final annual report.

By clearing April from all competitive inter-county games bar the Allianz Football League Division 1 and 2 finals on the first day of the month, Duffy believes there is enough room made for clubs so that the calendar year season can be achieved in the coming years. Duffy has heard inter-county managers claiming it is unrealistic to free up players to their clubs, but he hit back: “I don’t care what people or managers may say, it’s up to counties to make sure that they get the season off to a good start, beginning in April and putting on rounds of club games. There is no reason why any county can’t play four rounds of games [in April]. There are five Sundays.