'Totally made up': GAA rubbish return to play message circulating on social media

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The GAA have dismissed speculation about return to play dates circulating on social media today.

The message on WhatsApp claims the organisation has met the National Public Emergency Health Team (NPHET) and from April 5 training will return for under-age teams and inter-county panels in pods of 15 for the first two weeks. A rough guideline was also given for the inter-county and club league seasons.

However, the contents have been rubbished by Croke Park who state they have not nor have they ever met with NPHET. Professor Mary Horgan, a member of NPHET since January of this year, is on the GAA’s Covid-19 advisory body.

The suggested timeline for the GAA season in the message has also been described by one senior GAA official as “totally made up”. 

It had outlined the first competitive inter-county games would take place in May, the Championship commencing in mid-June and concluding in mid-August.

NPHET are due to meet later this week where it may become clearer if inter-county training can resume on Monday week. An update could also be provided by the GAA Covid body later this week.

Yesterday evening, the body gave the green light for club activity (under-age and adult training) to resume in the North’s six counties from April 12. However, county panels in Northern Ireland have not yet been given the go-ahead by the GAA’s Covid advisory committee.