GAA bosses braced for Munster backlash

GAA bosses accept that Munster’s Heineken Cup success has obvious implications for the promotion of hurling and football in the province and specifically in Limerick.

Limerick County Board chairman Denis Holmes accepts that the win will concentrate GAA efforts on increasing efforts at schools and under-age level. His opposite number in Cork, Mick Dolan, believes that continuing success for the Rebel county is proving to be a valuable tool in enhancing the appeal of Gaelic games for young people.

Clearly, because of the grip of rugby in the city, Limerick face the biggest difficulty in attempting to nullify the game’s increased profile, which for young people has the added appeal of offering the best players the opportunity to earn their living from it.

“Being realistic, everybody knows Limerick is a rugby city and has been very proud of that over the years,’’ said Mr Holmes. “What it means for the GAA is that we have to work harder and harder if we are to counteract what’s going on at the present time and promote our own games.

“We have to try and get as many people as possible playing hurling and football.’’

As a first step, the county board will be rolling out a new coaching initiative in September, with Board PRO Denis O’Carroll commenting: “we are making a start in the city.”

It will involve an increased coaching presence in the schools in Limerick City, helped by funding from national and provincial sources.

“The hope is that we will have coaches going into the schools on a weekly basis and that we will direct the young people into the clubs.

“It’s something we have intended to do for a long time and which we are just now getting around to putting in place.’’

Pointing out that big numbers of students were going out of the inner city to attend school in Croom and Castletroy, he said they were encouraged by the fact that there will be a Limerick Colleges team taking part in next season’s Dr Harty Cup competition — an amalgamation of Limerick CBS, St Clement’s, Crescent Comprehensive and St Munchin’s.

Back in the late sixties, Limerick CBS were the dominant force in Munster colleges, with future stars like Pat Hartigan, Eamonn Grimes and Eamonn Cregan to the forefront.

“Hopefully, that will also help us,’’ added the chairman.

“Obviously, after Saturday’s victory for Munster, the city is on a high, but, looking to the future I feel that young fellows will come out and play Gaelic games again. From our point of view it brings it home how hard we will have to work if we are to promote the image of the GAA.’’

One obvious way they could do that was by being more successful on the inter-county front, he agreed. And, while regretting the defeat of the senior hurlers by Tipperary a fortnight ago, Mr Holmes expressed confidence that the team was moving in the right direction.

“It would give the games a serious boost if we could win an All-Ireland and we feel that our hurlers give us the best chance of achieving that. Hopefully, this might be our year.’’

In Cork, chairman Mick Dolan acknowledges that the Association’s profile is healthy for the precise reason that hurling in the county has been on such ‘a high’ in recent years.

And, he looks forward to progress in football being helped by the appearance of the U21’s in the recent All-Ireland final against Mayo.

“There’s no doubt that the Munster success has given rugby massive publicity.

“That has to have an impression on young minds and there is going to be a spin-off for the game,’’ he said.

“Having said that, these things generally settle down. In Cork, with our hurling team being so successful, young people are encouraged to take up the game.

“We have had our ups and downs. Hurling has weakened a certain amount in the city, but it’s coming on. We have Féile na nGael in Cork next month and for the next few days the president and people like Micheal

Ó Muircheartaigh will be visiting the schools to promote it.’’

And, at a more general level, he expressed confidence that the combined efforts of the county committees in the province would help to counteract the positive effects of the Munster success story.

Already it has ‘cost’ the county (and his club, Erin’s Own) through the success of Tomas O’Leary in gaining a contract with Munster.

And, Mr Dolan said that the move of Setanta Ó hAilpín to Australian Rules had been another significant loss to the GAA in Cork.

“We saw them as up-and-coming forwards. And we are short of forwards in Cork,’’ he added.