Meath manager Andy McEntee claims 'high-profile' teams broke lockdown training ban 

He expects GAA to enforce January training ban

Andy McEntee: Has backed the decision to postpone the official return from January 15 to February 1 at the earliest.

Meath manager Andy McEntee is trusting the GAA enforce the inter-county collective training ban that they have extended until the start of next month.

McEntee has backed the decision to postpone the official return from January 15 to February 1 at the earliest due to the significant rise in the number of Covid-19 cases on the island.

The call could have a follow-on effect on the start of the Allianz Leagues, which are due to commence at the end of next month, and the All-Ireland senior championship set to commence in late April. However, it is understood there is a strong determination for the leagues to commence in early March and at the other end the All-Ireland senior finals may only be pushed back by a week in July.

Writing to county secretaries yesterday, GAA director-general Tom Ryan explained the rationale behind the call: "I fully appreciate the frustrations these additional restrictions may place on our inter-county players and management teams. However, the safety of everyone in the game and indeed the broader community has to be our primary focus. 

It has never been more important for our players, coaches and officials to follow both the Government guidelines and our own provisions around training.

McEntee claims some teams met to train prior to the sanctioned resumption of collective preparations on September 15 ahead of the 2020 Allianz Leagues and Championship and therefore had a headstart on their opponents.

In his correspondence, Ryan stressed breaches of the shutdown will be considered misconduct considered to have discredited the Association, which carries a minimum eight-week suspension for an individual and/or team.

County chairpersons were previously told they would be held responsible should any contravention be proven but no punishments were handed out despite anecdotal evidence of panels gathering for sessions.

As coronavirus runs rampant across the country, McEntee hopes the GAA are serious about teams adhering to the rules.

“It’s a completely understandable decision to make,” he said of the 2021 season’s postponed start date. “So long as the same rules apply to everybody, I don’t mind.

It is a concern for me, it was a concern for me through the initial lockdown because I am aware that not everybody abided by the rules. Some high-profile enough teams.

“I absolutely see where the Government and Croke Park are coming from. Everybody is trying to do the right thing here so long as it’s a level playing field and so long as everybody abides by the rules.”

Meath have been divided into a group containing fellow relegation Division 1 team Mayo in this year’s geographically-split Division 2. It’s believed to be a bone of contention in the counties that they as two recent Division 1 teams have been put in the same quartet - Down and Westmeath are the other two teams - but McEntee has no real issue.

“Look, we all know why the GAA have taken this decision. Teams have to be split geographically to cut down on travel and you’re going to find yourself deemed north or south. I sure wish we had the original Allianz League because it’s a fantastic competition but this is the way it’s got to be.”

McEntee took the opportunity to praise recent retirees Graham Reilly and Seán Tobin. “Graham put in a lot of years, a lot of good years, some of them more fruitful than others. He wouldn’t have had as much success at the latter end as he deserved but a great servant and I’m sure he still has plenty to offer at club level.

“Seán also announced his retirement and he also showed huge commitment to Meath. I have had and continue to have a good relationship with the both of them. They both put in a huge amount of effort over the last number of years.”