Difficult not to be negative about football

Negativity, according to new GAA president John Horan, attracts more attention than positivity so it was with extra emphasis that he delivered a plea to Congress delegates on Saturday.

“If I have one wish for us all it is that we be positive about our Association and its future because there is nothing to be gained from engaging in the death-by-a-thousand-cuts negative analysis, which some favour.” Horan’s stance is understandable but also aspirational.

To be negative, particularly about Gaelic football as much as it has been producing ample scores of late, is to be realistic. Some of the weekend developments demonstrated that: