“From what's I'm hearing, there might be 300, 400 or 500 tickets available (for general sale) on the morning of the match, but that'll be it. So I'll go back to what I've been telling people for the last few months, if you're going to New York, go for the craic, not for the match.”

Demand for tickets for Mayo's Connacht SFC opener against New York in Gaelic Park this Sunday exceeds supply according to provincial secretary John Prenty.

“I attended a couple of championship matches last year and you wouldn't believe the stuff that goes on off the ball while the referee is at the other end of the field. Two refs makes sense. It's an easy move, why not?”

Recently retired referee Rory Hickey has called for the introduction of two referees at inter-county level.

“I think it would be a very sad day that an organisation of our quality and standing would be constantly flip-flopping just because people get an opinion on social media. A large number of these people are not even members of our organisation. They are entitled to have their opinion, they are entitled to put it up on social media. But that’s not what is coming through from the membership of our organisation where we have meetings and behave in a democratic manner.”

Social media won’t dictate GAA policy according to President John Horan who was speaking in the wake of Donegal GAA’s controversial decision to propose an eight-week ban for the Naomh Colmcille club.

“There are plenty of lads sitting on high stools telling everyone what's wrong. Moaning all the time and then ordering another pint. They would be better off jumping down off the stools and getting out on the grass with young lads. Complaining gets you nowhere.”

Wicklow football legend Kevin O’Brien, who is currently in his second year at the helm of the Garden County minors, took aim at the high stool experts.

“From day one when I took this job, I knew teams like Derry, Tyrone, Monaghan, and Donegal were 10 points better than Armagh. Our aim this year was to narrow the gap on those teams.”

Former senior star Ciaran McKeever is in charge of the Armagh minors this year and they suffered a narrow loss to Derry on Saturday.

"Mickey used a bit of common sense, he's a pleasure to work with. He knows what our thoughts are about the lads. We're there to help try and develop players.”

Tyrone U-20 manager Paul Devlin will be able to call upon the services of Darragh Canavan and Matthew Murnaghan after they were released by his senior counterpart Mickey Harte.

“Now you have lads retiring at 28, 29, 30, and it’s down to the mileage and demands placed on the body. I don’t think you’ll have too many lads in the next few years who’ll play much beyond eight years inter-county because of the demands on the body. They’re so intense and they’ve increased so much in recent years that it’ll be unsustainable.”

Waterford captain Noel Connors reckons eight years is the lifespan of an average inter-county career these days.

“It's the spine of your team is nearly gone there. Goalkeeper, full-back, centre-back, maybe centre-forward. Yeah, we could do without it.”

Kilkenny great JJ Delaney is concerned about the Cats’ mounting injury list ahead of their Leinster SHC opener against Dublin next month.

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