Replying To oldsam_newsam: "I see that Martin McHugh believes that its the worst ever week for the GAA. I have to say that I agree with some of his points and there are a few surprises in there.
I agree that the provincial winners should kick off the super 8's with a home game and the provincial runners up should get a home game the next game out. Also the farce over the Kildare Mayo game last week put the GAA in a poor light.
I was surprised to read that some of the main referees should not be taking expenses from the counties to ref friendlies.
Martin is a good pundit and should be listened to.
Martin McHugh believes it's been a terrible week for the GAA.
With Newbridgegate still fresh in the memory, the Association seems to be lurching from one controversy to another, what with Croke Park unavailable for matches on one of the busiest weekends of the year and the Leinster SHC final being played in Munster:
"This was one of the worst weeks in the entire history of the GAA," Donegal legend McHugh writes in The Irish Daily Star. "First there was the Kildare venue debacle. Then we had the Leinster hurling final being moved out of Croke Park due to concerts.
"And now it's starting to dawn on people that the GAA have made a mess of the Super 8s, with the provincial winners not afforded home advantage in Round One. This is probaby the biggest farce of them all. There's plenty more for the GAA to look at too.
"Like why the beaten provincial finalists don't have a home venue this weekend against qualifier teams with huge momentum on their side. Or how county managers are killing off games in stoppage time with endless substitutions.
"Then there's the farcical situation where counties appoint intercounty referees for challenge games and pay them generous expenses, knowing full well they will be in charge of some huge championship matches later in the summer. These are messes the GAA need to sort out ASAP.""
Sounds to me that Thurles is a perfectly reasonable place to host Leinster final. The final is between Galway (a Connacht team) and Kilkenny. Thurles is a reasonable distance from both. Other points he brings up are trivial to say the least. I think Martin McHugh is just looking for attention....taking cue from Joe Brolly
I agree with the points hes making to be fair to Mc Hugh but how hes making them is a bit out there in regards to claiming it was one of the worst weeks ever.
But his points are valid, i believe its a complete mess at the moment to be honest and the frustrations of the disconnect between the suits at GAA Hq and the ordinary GAA man down the country has never been wider.
There is only so far we can go with the policy of "making it up as ye go along" which prevails at the moment.