Fixtures farce in last round of McDonagh Cup

By Kevin Egan

All organisations with any little bit of history behind them tend to suffer from at least some measure of the belief that “this is how things have always been done” is a good enough reason to do something a certain way. That’s definitely the case for the final round of Joe McDonagh Cup games, which take place today (Saturday).

Following Offaly’s impressive win over Kerry last Sunday ( 3-24 to 0-15), everything in this competition was sewn up. Laois and Offaly will contest the final on June 8, serving as the curtain raiser for the Leinster SHC final; Meath will hurl in the Christy Ring Cup next year; and Westmeath, Down and Kerry will stay at the same level in the championship.

So on Saturday six teams will play a round of games that are of no consequence, that involve immense travelling expenses, and where the attendances will be miniscule.

Nobody will gain from these matches being played, and it’s disappointing that nobody in Croke Park took the time out to think about this, and to ask the six counties involved if any of them actually wanted to play their fixtures. It’s virtually certain that if they did, they would have got six negative responses. Outside of the two finalists, it’s fair to say the players from the other four counties will want to go back to their clubs.

In Down’s case, their U-20 hurlers will play the All-Ireland 'B' final in Croke Park at 3pm, so all their senior players – who have hurled alongside several of these panelists all year – will miss that momentous occasion, all to tog out in front of 50 people against a second string Offaly team in Ballycran (1pm).

If even one team had something to play for, then so be it. But it’s foolishness of the highest order to be beholden to protocol and tradition when none of the six do, particularly for the sake of Offaly and Meath, who face long road trips.