February start date would make league worse organised than a Saturday morning pub division, blasts Cargin boss

Question marks: Damian Cassidy doubts the action will start on February 28

�INPHO/Philip Magowan

Question marks: Damian Cassidy doubts the action will start on February 28

Declan Bogue Twitter

January 12 2021 10:10 AM

Damian Cassidy, manager of Antrim's reigning football champions Cargin, has branded plans to begin the all county league on February 28 as a 'wind-up.'

All clubs were served notice recently that the leagues are set commence on the last day of February. However, given the rising numbers in Coronavirus infections, this will surely be under review.

Cassidy, who won Championships in Tyrone with Clonoe before taking charge of Cargin and bringing them success in Antrim in recent years, does not believe the start date can conceivably be met.

"To suggest starting the leagues on the 28th of February is really ill-thought out, to be honest with you," said the 1993 All-Ireland winner with Derry.

"You have a lockdown to the end of January that probably could be extended and probably will be extended for a few weeks.

"Realistically, I don't think it is a goer at all. To start the league in the way it was suggested, you would get a Saturday morning pub league organised better in terms of the preparation of players, the level that they are at.

"If you are not getting that opportunity to do pre-season, I would dread going into a season without that and the injuries that might occur from it."

'I was extremely annoyed': Fermanagh treasurer blasts back at ex Dublin manager's call for even more funding

Prior to action finally beginning last year, warnings were issued by respected figures such as Marty Loughran - physio to the Irish Olympic team - on the dangers of injuries after such a long lay-off.

Citing statistics from the top flight of German soccer, the Bundesliga, where soft-tissue injuries jumped by an alarming degree once action resumed following lockdown, Loughran warned that the same could happen in Gaelic Games.

A number of weeks later, he confirmed to The Belfast Telegraph that he experienced a serious increase in demand for his physio practise.

"The only thing about it is everybody is in the same boat with injuries," added Cassidy.

"The truth of the matter is I would doubt if the league starts on the 28th, I genuinely do. I don't see it happening. I hope I am not being negative about that, but I can't see it.

"Nobody can do anything. People can go out and do one hour with a family member on your own, that's the height of your exercise. And you cannot go to GAA premises. Whatever places you used back in May, you can't use now because they would be a mess.

"People cannot get into club gyms and private gyms, so there is absolutely no opportunity for people to do anything, to being even close to being prepared for this."

With the leagues set to be staged in the 'county' window, Cassidy also has legitimate concerns regarding the eight Cargin players now in Enda McGinley's Antrim panel.

No other club in the county will be affected by 'starred' games as Cargin would be throughout the club season.

"If this league proceeds in its present format where county players don't play, I would be asking if we could even have a reserve team? And that's us coming through with two minor teams who have won their Championships," he explained.

"Cargin went through a period there when a lot of senior players had finished and they were really struggling to get a reserve team together.

"You throw in eight players out of it and I don't know if there is a criteria set whereby if there is a panel named for a match, 24 players, and four players from Cargin on that panel, would the other four players be allowed to continue on and play league football?

"I would like to think there would be common sense applied in that situation, whether it remains or not, it would have some knock-on for our league campaign."

February start date would make league worse organised than a Saturday morning pub division, blasts Cargin boss

Read More

Most Read

Latest GAA

Latest from Belfast Telegraph