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Tyrone manager Mickey Harte has again hit out at the International Rules concept by claiming that players are more interested in the trip to Australia than the competition.
The treble All-Ireland-winning boss has long been one of the most high-profile opponents of the hybrid game and went on to state that the Interprovincial series should be the centre of attention at this time of year.
"Many of the players, if they were telling you honestly about this, they enjoy the trip they are in it for the trip more than the competition," he said
Red Hand star Sean Cavanagh will captain the Irish team Down Under but Harte doesn’t blame players for availing of the chance to travel with the side.
"Being a captain of Ireland is a great, prestigious place to get to, whatever that is, whatever that means, but you are still captaining Ireland. And you are getting a trip to Australia, you are getting plenty of expenses along the way, plenty of perks to go with it.
"That’s like telling a child don’t look for Santa, that’s tantamount to asking children would they like Santa to keep coming, that’s the big pull in it."
Harte believes the Interprovincial series could thrive were it marketed properly.
"I think it is an insult to the competition and an insult to the sponsor Martin Donnelly, I do really believe that," he said.
"It’s been pushed from pillar to post over the last number of years - give it a fixed date in the calendar and the (best) time is the time that is being given over to that other game which we all know about.”
