KARL McKaigue backs the idea of carrying a split season into future years, saying the current situation was “unsustainable” for the club game.
The Derry and Slaughtneil defender, currently sidelined for a long spell after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon, believes the current situation will not have a detrimental effect on the quality of this year’s championship, should it take place.
While there have been reports of some counties breaching the ban on inter-county training, which is in place until September 14, the majority appear to have honoured it and allowed their players to be exclusively with their clubs.
The GPA’s decision to come out publically in support of a split calendar, which has also been backed by the GAA, has pushed the idea closer than ever to reality.
“It was tough on my mum and dad. I knew I was self-destructing. And I also knew the next phase of that, if I had carried on, it was not being here. I was in a very dark place...” - the life and times of Caolan Mooney
Cookstown joint-manager Jason Quinn doesn’t underestimate the challenge of Four Masters in the Ulster semi-final
The GAA’s fixtures committee is looking at the logistics of it and president John Horan has said that it could be in place for 2022, if it is adopted on a permanent basis.
McKaigue, a six-time Ulster winning dual player with his club, believes it is the way forward.
“It’s definitely a good idea and something I think could be adapted going forward.
“I’m not sure how you’d do it logistically but at this stage of the year, it’s very alien for a lot of teams to have their full quota of county men out training every night.
“Even having the chance to play challenge games together coming into this phase of championship with your full deck, it’s a great addition for the clubs at the minute.
“From my point of view it’s definitely one of the positives that has come out of this – that it’s forced the GAA’s hand a wee bit, they’ve had to try something different.
“The way it was going the last few years it was becoming unsustainable. You were barely getting any club football or hurling from whatever time the county championship was coming to the crunch. At the minute it’s pretty good.
“I know at the minute a lot of players are pretty happy to be playing out of their clubs and when the time comes for county, I don’t think there’ll be any real detriment to the quality of football.
“You’re getting a good level of club play and it serves you pretty well going into the county season.”
Slaughtneil are seeking an eighth consecutive Derry hurling title and face local rivals Swatragh in the semi-final this weekend.
Having won three Ulster titles in the last four years, after becoming the first Oak Leaf club ever to win one, Slaughtneil would have been strong favourites for the provincial title had they come out of Derry.
The GAA’s decision to move early and cancel the provincial and All-Ireland series’ at club level has since appeared hasty and McKaigue, while taking nothing for granted in terms of involvement, feels it was a rash call.
“I think it seemed a wee bit hasty at the time. For all the clubs that are going to be involved, it doesn’t take too long to run off a provincial championship.
“Once you get to that stage, you’ve only a handful left to play the All-Ireland series.
“If you’re in Corofin’s shoes and going for an historic four-in-a-row, you’d be absolutely devastated. There’s been talk that they haven’t completely closed the door on it yet, but from what I can see it seems very unlikely that they’ll play it.
“Definitely it was called off that wee bit too soon. A lot of clubs at this stage, although they won’t say it because they have to try and win their respective county championships first, they’ll be gutted.
“They have maybe wanted to say something about it but don’t want to actually say it in case they come across a bit cocky or thinking beyond their own county championships. But definitely it does feel like it was made a bit too soon.”
O'Neills Derry SFC fixtures
Saturday, September 5 (venues TBC): (2pm) Eoghan Rua v Claudy; (4pm) Newbridge v Ballinderry; (4pm) Glen v Kilrea; (6pm) Ballinascreen v Bellaghy
Sunday, September 6: (1pm): Slaughtneil v Foreglen; (3pm) Loup v Dungiven; (3pm) Swatragh v Banagher; (6pm) Magherafelt v Lavey
Derry SHC fixtures
Saturday, August 29 (Lavey, 5.30pm): Kevin Lynch’s v Ballinascreen
Sunday, August 30 (Ballinascreen, 3.30pm): Slaughtneil v Swatragh
