Peter Keane: Clubs getting priority was the right way to go

The Kerry manager hopes that when the county game does come back that time is allocated to complete the national leagues. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Kerry manager Peter Keane says it was imperative that the club championship was given first preference in the GAA’s return to play plan.

And Keane says he hopes that when the county game does come back that time is allocated to complete the national leagues, which, he says, could act as the perfect warm-up competition for the All-Ireland championship.

Keane was speaking to Radio Kerry’s Terrace Talk podcast, and he gave his backing to the grassroots of the association getting first preference.

“Personally I think the club is probably more important at this stage. There are 97 or 98 per cent of the playing population in the GAA playing club. So it’s probably a lot more important to get that rolled in first,” Keane said.

“We’d miss a bit of sport but the biggest thing I miss at this stage is the local club. This time of the year is obviously very busy. We’d be into championship and your focus is totally on that.

“But when the club games are on, Listry here where my own three lads play, Peadar, Barry and Micheál, going to those games with that sense of community and having the bit of fun with a few characters around, I miss that probably more than anything else.”