It really does feel as if today marks a step-change in how this country is reacting to the ever-spreading coronavirus.
Following the Taoiseach’s announcement this morning in Washington of a range of measures aimed at protecting public health, including a ban on mass gatherings, it was inevitable that a shutdown of sporting events would follow. The GAA’s decision, made in the wake of the Government’s move, was the only sensible one it could have taken but it’s still welcome that they did so without delay.
Some have said the GAA should have moved earlier. I’m not so sure that’s the case. This is a global emergency and in responding at a national level leadership had to come from the top.
The Government gave that leadership this morning and, in its wake, all manner of decisions about work, education and sporting activities over the next while have been taken. That’s the right order in which these decisions needed to have been made.
The suspension obviously has major ramifications for the GAA calendar in 2020. It’s not clear how – or if at all – the National Leagues will be concluded this year and it’s equally unclear what today’s move will mean for this summer’s Championship.
But these considerations are minor ones in the overall scheme of things. None of us have lived through a time as uncertain as this, none of us can say with any confidence what the coming weeks and months might hold. Seen in this light, what happens out on the playing fields has to take its proper place in the order of priorities.
All any of us can do at this stage is to follow the medical advice and take all the precautions we’ve been advised to take. The football will be back in its own good time when, hopefully, all of this is behind us.
In the meantime, take care and keep washing those hands.
Well said Willie Joe. Its by far the best course of action. Im struggling to see how the Championship will be even played in 2020, given the way the number of people infected is rising every day. Maybe a year off would be good for the oul ticker.
Ya -Championship football in May/June is probably unlikely.By all accounts it will be June before we reach a peak of the virus.Stay safe everyone.??
How will the league finish up. Will they just promote and relegate on current positions and not play the final fixtures
It’s the right think to do the GAA have taken appropriate action in this case. Stay well and safe everyone
Correct decision. Can’t see the league being completed by May. If not then it throws the championship up in the air as Tier 2 championship is supposed to be based on league standings?
League won’t be. Still think championship may be delayed but will be played. They may consider old skool provincial knock out. No back door. 4 provincial winners in semis etc
And possibly behind closed doors. Tv/radio only.
Shutdown makes total sense? It may have done if it had been done some weeks ago when the virus was being imported. Now that it’s got a foothold here with most new cases being community transmitted I’m not so sure. It’s a case of closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. The big mistake was that ALL travellers from Italy – and China post Chinese New Year – were not compelled to self isolate and that this was not rigorously checked. Will these steps delay transmission? Possibly, just possibly.
This Mayo GAA blog is a fantastic facility..It’s easily the best Irish based GAA or indeed any sports based blog with allot of fantastic community opinion and participation…In an ERA where we have to stay away from each other physically, in order to look after each other as a society…We can converse, without any risk. That’s fantastic when you consider it.. Let’s do our best to lift each other’s spirit… give sensible positive information… Other thing’s are also happening…. Keep Positive People, mind each other, give good advice to each other…
It’s the right call, absolutely no doubt about it. The fact that Cheltenham went ahead is scandalous. Irresponsible and absolutely indefensible.
“Can’t see the league being completed by May. If not then it throws the championship up in the air as Tier 2 championship is supposed to be based on league standings?”
lets be honest all proposed protocol that was in place this year will quite clearly be chucked out the window. Stuff like tier 2 championships can obviously be put back a year and no-one will give a hoot
If we’re lucky enough that a championship can indeed be played at all, there will obviously have to be tweaks
In theory it wouldn’t take long to play off the league in any case – they can leave it till winter if needs be
Rock, I agree 100% re Cheltenham.
The almost mocking behaviour of many at it, not only points to an arrogance and irresponsibility of the industry and it’s sponsors, but should also pose this question…. In an industry so heavily financed and bankrolled by the Irish tax payer (it’s no coincidence that many of the worlds wealthiest breeders base their operations in Ireland – hint, it’s not for the weather, nor is it by accident that most bookmakers are based here either!) should the Irish state not have intervened sooner and called the shots on it? Ideally, every person coming off a plane/boat returning home from Cheltenham should be lifted at customs and forced into isolation for a fortnight. They made the decision to choose reckless responsibility just so they could enjoy themselves, why should we be put at risk because of their selfishness?
As for the UK’s response to the situation, in my opinion, it is just another reason why they won’t be missed in the EU.
Agree fully with that, Pebblesmeller. There’s an awful strain of the “ah, sure it’ll be grand” attitude in Irish society. Pandemics have no respect for that blasé shite and the people going should be quarantined indefinitely as far as I’m concerned.
In Slovakia they have closed the borders except for residents of the country.
We are resilient people and will get through this. I know scientists are working hard to find coronavirus antiviral drugs and vaccines. What a vulnerable world we live in after all.
Hopefully we will be back talking about our wonderful sporting world in 2021.
For now it’s back to basics. I find listening to radio very comforting these days…
Agreed, the right decision to suspend. It’s a weird time, but optimistic that 99.9% of us will be sensible and stop the spread.
I’m based in Switzerland and they’ve finally just announced that they’re restricting travel across their borders.
Barn door. Horse. Bolted!
Good posts above, in particular from AndyD and Pebblesmeller.
I would think league wont go ahead this year as tier 2 already scrapped.
Looks like we will stay up for another year so!
Yes it was the right call made, this virus hasn’t peaked here yet so it looks like the league could be null and void, it will put the championship in it’s usual competition and then a crisis to try a get playing the second tier competition this I can see will not go ahead because it will filter down to club and county arguments again, no club leagues just maybe have a club championship only