In sport, you have to be able to adapt in the moment as circumstances change. That applies off as well as on the field of play and the GAA is having to adapt quickly as Covid threatens once more to impact the All Ireland Championships.
An outbreak in the Tyrone camp had threatened their Ulster Final against Monaghan eventually played in the absence of four players and joint manager Feargal Logan.
They beat Monaghan that day but have continued struggling with the Virus and were forced to request a two-week postponement to the Semi-Final against Kerry.
The structure of the competition is less at risk with only four remaining than would have been the case at an earlier point so a partial delay was granted with the game moving back six days and a similar delay to the All Ireland Final.
The ripple effects have been part of the reason for six rather than 14 days of a delay and there is no certainty yet that it will be enough to allow Tyrone to field a full or near the full-strength team.
The immediate impact is that the space filled by the game at Croke Park has now been filled by the Ladies Gaelic Football Championship semi-final between Cork and Meath. It will follow the U20 Final between Offaly and Roscommon with both games to be televised on TG4. That is a positive for all concerned and more fans from the U20 Final will now have a chance to be part of the 24,000 capacity crowd.
Discussion
The LGFA is now in discussion with Croke Park about its Junior Championship Final which was scheduled for the stadium on Saturday 4th September, the new date for the Senior Men’s Final. The Minor Final will be pushed back a week as well and the Senior Ladies Championship Final will still be played as scheduled on 5th September. A few years ago that might not have been the case but closer working relationships between the GAA and the LGFA, and a keener sense of the realities of delivering rather than aspiring to equality are now well understood.
The Senior Man’s Club Championships will be pushed back a week in the two finalists counties but there would have been contingency in place for a replay anyway so that can be managed. If the final went to a replay it would have a greater impact on provincial Club Championships.
The TV companies are impacted as well with RTÉ now left with major holes to fill on Sunday 15th and on Sunday 29th and shuffles needed to accommodate unexpected games on Saturday 21st and Saturday 4th.
Sponsors who will have planned activation and booked TV ad campaigns around the original dates will also have to shuffle their cards.
Last year Sligo were forced to exit the All Ireland because of Covid with no wriggle room at all in a shortened winter season. This campaign is different as there is no Christmas providing a hard stop.
The challenges are presented within the sport’s own scheduling but the consensus is that one week is a price worth paying to complete the Championship in as fair a manner as possible.
Tyrone have suggested they will not know their own position on fielding in a week until this weekend. If they withdraw then there remains the possibility yet of reverting to the original schedule.
It’s not ideal but it’s not among the worst decisions that have been faced over the past year and a half. We just need to wait a little while longer.
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