Sligo footballers 'angry' Galway game wasn't refixed after Covid outbreak — Paul Taylor

Sligo manager Paul Taylor: “The players would have thought that a refixture would be an option and feel that the situation has been forced on them.” Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Sligo football manager Paul Taylor has said his players are angry that their Connacht SFC semi-final against Galway, originally scheduled for this Saturday, was not refixed to a later date.

Late on Monday night, Sligo confirmed they were conceding the game to Galway because of a Covid outbreak in their squad.

Seven positive tests within the Sligo panel were confirmed on Monday, with Taylor’s panel set to be further depleted for the weekend as other players would have been deemed close contacts.

A Sligo GAA statement released said players were "disappointed at not having the option of a re-fixture and feel the outcome has been forced on them".

Manager Paul Taylor, when speaking to Ocean FM on Tuesday morning, echoed this sentiment.

“I have to say, it has been a difficult few days for the group. Because of the amount of Covid cases and close contacts, our numbers just don't add up to fulfil the fixture. Really, from a football point of view, it is not a case that we're not going, we can't go.

It is very disappointing for everyone involved. The players are gutted, we are all gutted. The players, they are so disappointed. They would have thought that a refixture would be an option and feel that the situation has been forced on them.”

When asked if his players were angry and annoyed at not being given a chance to participate in the championship, Taylor replied, “absolutely”.

The Connacht SFC final is fixed for Sunday, November 15, three weeks before the provincial champions are due in All-Ireland semi-final action on the weekend of December 5/6.

There was space in the calendar to allow for a refixture, although GAA President John Horan did state on Monday morning, before news of Sligo’s outbreak emerged, that Covid-related postponements would only be considered for the latter stages of the All-Ireland championships in hurling and football.

Continued Taylor: “If you are a player, you want to play football. Everybody committed at the start of the year to this year and committed to finishing the year. That is what everybody, including the players, all wanted to do.

They are angry, and they are angry from the point of view of what has happened, as well, and that this could have happened to the group too. That is very raw at the moment. That is there at the moment and is to be expected. There is also an understanding there of the seriousness of the situation too.

“From a football point of view, everyone had done their best to make the game happen. From a health and wellbeing point of view, we always knew it was going to be difficult. If we want to protect our group, it was always going to be difficult to fulfil the fixture.”

Taylor said it was first realised on Saturday morning “that there could be a problem”. Croke Park were contacted to avail of their rapid testing system, which was conducted the following day. Results were returned to the Sligo panel on Monday.

“We have always acted within the guidelines. We have always done everything that we possibly could for the health and wellbeing of the group. That has always been a priority. That has been a priority of my job too, to protect the group.

“We took immediate steps right away. We had all the steps taken previously anyway. We didn't get much warning or much of a sign. It is difficult when something like that happens.

“We have seen now the situation over the last number of days how [Covid-19] can affect things so quickly. Football is not a priority at the moment. We need to protect the members of the group. Right now, everybody is doing well. That is what is important.” 

Sligo are the first men’s inter-county side who have been unable to fulfil a championship fixture due to cases of coronavirus in their panel. The Offaly senior camogie side last month cited a confirmed Covid-19 case as the reason they were handing Cork a walkover in the All-Ireland championship group game between the counties.