Major GAA meetings called as Allianz League games may be postponed

The GAA’s county chairpersons and Management Committee will convene virtually this evening as speculation mounts that the 2020 Allianz League games scheduled for later this month could be postponed indefinitely.

Following Coiste Bainisti’s decision on Monday to suspend all club games until further notice, there are suggestions the 30 outstanding round games across the four football divisions and three hurling league deciders over the weekends of October 17/18 and 24/25 could be put off.

Priorities are now focused on the Championship taking place and as the number of coronavirus cases rises rapidly across the island, the GAA are understood to be assessing if holding off on the league matches might protect the likes of the Liam MacCarthy and Sam Maguire Cups taking place.

The Championship begins with the Dublin-Laois and Clare-Limerick provincial first-round hurling clashes on October 24th and 25th respectively with the latter fixture in Semple Stadium doubling up as the Allianz Division 1 hurling final. 

Thirteen MacCarthy and Maguire Cup games are then due to take place over the Halloween weekend.

There had been consideration given earlier this week to postponing the minor football and hurling championships, the U20 hurling championship and the remaining U20 football semi-finals and final. 

However, that has been parked for the time being. Earlier this week, Electric Ireland, sponsors of the minor championships, called off a press event relating to the competitions.

Another option open to the GAA may be to make the senior hurling championship knock-out similar to football thereby reducing the number of games from 17 to 11. However, that is not believed to be on the table at the present time.

The heads of each county board executive have been asked to log in this evening prior to Coiste Bainisti, who have Congress powers until the start of December. Unlike last Monday’s Management Committee meeting which was called at short notice to suspend all club fixtures, these meetings had been scheduled.