Pat Spillane: GAA waving the white flag to rock concerts and rugby

‘Ex-GAA star in alleged assault in the North.’

‘GAA star cautioned in Galway.’

‘GAA legend DJ Carey in court.’

Do you get my drift? The club championship action is in full swing and it’s not exactly capturing headlines in the media, bar the odd token match report or a romantic story about some club that hasn’t won one since Christ was a minor.

The GAA club action, sadly, doesn’t capture the attention of the national media. Neither, for that matter, does it capture the attention of the majority of GAA supporters. These two facts are inextricably linked.

Interest in county finals comes in ever decreasing circles. It’s major for the parishes involved, minor for the rest of the county and non-existent for the rest of the country.

So apologies in advance, but a quick word on the split season.

Let’s be brutally honest here, the split season is OK in theory, but it needs tweaking. The powers that be, however, the key personnel in this, are in denial.

The reason for a defined club programme – which is the main reason for the split season – is because under the old system, club and inter-county went Ok together. It wasn’t quite hand in glove, but in most places, it worked.

Kerry being a case in point. But part of the problem – and the main reason the split season was introduced – was weak, inept county boards bowing to the demands of ego-driven dictatorial inter-county managers who demanded exclusive access to their players at all times and who could stop club championship games being played on a whim.

The result of this is frustrated club players sitting on their arses not knowing when their next match would be or when the club championship would begin

The split season is parroted by GAA officials as a silver bullet. A panacea. They’re falling over themselves clapping each other on the back about how brilliant an idea it is.

But it’s a classic smoke and mirrors situation. Yes, on the face of it, all seems good. But it’s actually disguising the reality, which is that there is now no split season at all.

Inter-county players are playing all the year round. Elite players with top clubs in counties are doing the same.

Case in point: the Cliffords started back training in December 2021. It hasn’t stopped for them since, between Kerry, East Kerry and Fossa. They’re on a permanent roller coaster.

And it’s not over.

They have the semi-final with East Kerry, then intermediate final with Fossa and very possibly, a subsequent Munster campaign if Fossa win.

Another example. Tom O’Sullivan and Paul Geaney.

They play their county semi-final with Dingle this weekend. It’s their tenth championship game in 12 weeks.

Make that 11 in 14 weeks, including an All-Ireland final – and Dingle have still to play the provincial club championship. Player welfare my arse.

The split season is flogging our elite players, and don’t get me started on the main problem – taking our two main products: inter-county football and hurling out of the shop window for six months after July.

We joke and sneer about the ad suggesting Ireland is rugby country.

Well, the joke has been turned on us because, without anything to go up against, it really has become rugby country.

The All-Ireland finals should be moved to at least the end of August to highlight our high-profile games. But the cynic in me suspects perhaps the reason it won’t be next year is the GAA already have a major event in Croke Park at that time: Coldplay

They may bow to the inevitable eventually, but not before Coldplay.

P.S. Those familiar with this column will be au fait with my usual laments for Gaelic football and as you might know, I had a similar rant on The Late Late Show last week. Guess what? I’ve been inundated with messages of support and agreement ever since. Just to let you know.