GAA hoping for April 12 restart for underage and inter-county training

File photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

The GAA are hoping underage and senior inter-county training will return on April 12 as part of the Government’s phased easing of restrictions next month.

As it was widely reported that current measures will be loosened incrementally across April, there is belief that non-contact training may be able to resume in a fortnight's time just as all students are due back to primary and secondary schools.

Following consultations between the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) and a sub-Cabinet committee on Monday night and a full Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin will announce minimal changes to level 5 restrictions, which have been in place since December 30.

An April 12 start date for underage and senior inter-county training across the island would also coincide with club training at all age levels returning in the Six Counties, which is set to be confirmed by the Northern Ireland Executive next week.

The GAA’s Covid-19 advisory body are expected to meet this week and if a return date is provided by the Government will sign off on return to play protocols, working off those they had put in place last year.

A four-week run-in to prepare for what is expected to be truncated, geographically-split Allianz Leagues will be afforded to counties.

Last week, the GAA dismissed social media speculation that training for underage and senior inter-county would return from April 5 with the leagues taking place in May followed by the Championship from June to August.

“We would again reiterate that the GAA have not decided on what competitions may or may not be facilitated in any revised national fixture programme for 2021.”

Speaking last month, then GAA president John Horan said if games returned in May, a full season would be completed: “If we got going in May, in comparison to last year when it was towards the end of July that we got started, I’d be confident that we will get the games programmes in place and we will get all activities completed.

“We’d have that extra time period from May to July that we didn’t have last year. I am quite confident that a games programme will be there to do the National League, a full club programme, and also the inter-county championship.”

Also last month, GAA director of club, player, and games administration Feargal McGill acknowledged a late start to the inter-county season, which has since materialised, would push the 2021 club season out to next year. “If the inter-county season were to get delayed, we would look at pushing the concluding stages of the AIB Provincial and All-Ireland Championships into January of 2022.”

The GAA have already admitted they will seek government support for the running of the inter-county season, which they estimate will cost €20m.

Although no approach was made up to the end of last month, one is expected to be tendered shortly with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media already confirming money is available.