ARMAGH ace Tiernan Kelly understands why the GAA has decided to scrap pre-season competitions like the Dr McKenna Cup on a trial basis – insisting players “need a break” amid an increasingly hectic schedule.
Following a meeting of the GAA’s central council on Saturday, it was agreed that there would be no pre-season competitions in 2025, after which there will be a review to see if their absence from the fixtures calendar should be made permanent.
That means, rather than guaranteed McKenna Cup games in January, Kieran McGeeney’s All-Ireland champions won’t have a competitive outing until the first round of their Division One campaign in the National League.
But Kelly, who played a key role in Clann Eireann’s Armagh SFC play-off victory over Ballymacnab on Sunday, believes there is a balance to be struck as administrators attempt to iron out issues around the split season.
“Obviously there’s two sides to the coin,” he said.
“I get that, from the supporters’ point of view, it’s a long time to go without county football and they want to get back and watch it. But at the same time, as a player, we finished with the county, I was away for a week, then the day I got off the plane I was back at training – and that’s it until you’re back.
“As soon as you finish your club season, you’re straight back into county pre-season. Whatever way you want to dress it up, boys need a bit of a break. In fairness, in the last couple of years, Armagh have used it to get new boys into the panel, younger boys who maybe need a bit of minutes at that level, give them an opportunity and maybe filter in a few more experienced boys to help them.
“It’s a bit like the Premier League, they just keep adding on games, adding on competitions… where do you draw the line?
“I understand both sides but, from a player point of view, you have to get a break some time.”
Sunday’s victory sent the Lurgan men into the last eight of the championship, though Armagh fever can still be seen across the county as orange and white flags continue to flutter six weeks after their remarkable All-Ireland triumph.
And, for Kelly, the magnitude of their achievement – ending a 22-year wait for the Sam Maguire Cup - is only really starting to hit home.
“Everybody was always talking to you about ‘02… I was only one or two then, so I’m sick of people saying ‘02 this and ‘02 that, everybody says it was a great night, Lurgan shut down for a week - it doesn’t take much to shut Lurgan down.
“But it was good to witness it, and then even more to be a part of it, part of that team, and to see what it meant to people. For some people it only happens once in a blue moon, hopefully that isn’t the case, but it’s been a long time coming, all the build-up, people waiting for that celebration.
“Lurgan’s still orange and white, people still stop you in the street, if you’re in the shop and stuff they’ll come over and chat to you, which is great.
“Most of the boys got away for a wee trip the week or so after, which was the only time they could book it. And then as soon you come back, you’re back in with the club and it’s basically a reset.
“I had the cup round myself with the family, then it’s still going to the schools – it’s great to see people enjoying it. You can see what it means to people - it’s easy to say ‘ach, move on’, but these things don’t come around too often, so you want to soak it all up, and try and use that wee bit of momentum, that boost in confidence, to carry on into the club season.”
