Tipperary school pleads for chance to play delayed All-Ireland football final

A selector with the Loreto Clonmel’s ladies football team has hit out at the refusal of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) to give the go ahead for their Lidl All-Ireland post-primary schools final against Moate Community School. 

The senior A decider was to have been played last March but was cancelled because of Covid-19.

“All we want from the LGFA is just 60 minutes to play the game”, says Sinead Grant. 

“We don’t care if it’s in the morning, evening, at the weekend or behind closed doors.”

She says the situation is disappointing for all players involved, particularly the Leaving Certs.

“They won’t get another chance to play in a post-primary schools All-Ireland final. All of the players on the panel have played on club teams from the ages of 6 and 8 and have dedicated so much of their lives to promoting ladies football.

“These girls have missed out on so much, including their graduation in school. If the match was played it would give them a little bit of closure on their time in Loreto.” 

Ms Grant said the LGFA and the GAA had done great work in organising a schedule for club and county matches since lockdown restrictions had been eased.

However she said that in the LGFA’s return to play protocols there was nothing about teams crossing county borders to play matches, and for that reason Loreto’s All-Ireland final against Moate should be played.

“So many clubs are playing matches in other counties and they aren’t breaking any rules.

“All we’re asking for is 60 minutes to fit into the LGFA calendar”, she says. 

In a statement issued last Friday the LGFA acknowledged that schools and players across all six competitions were left disappointed when, in unprecedented circumstances, “the extremely tough decision” was taken in March to cancel the Lidl post-primary schools All-Ireland championships for 2020.

“This decision was taken in the best interests of all relevant stakeholders, and in line with Government and public health authority advice, following the onset of Covid-19.

“We are delighted that club activity has resumed across the country – and we very much hope that local competitions will be completed, ahead of a planned return to inter-county activities in October.

“However, it should be noted that the total of 85 confirmed new cases of Covid-19 reported last Thursday is the highest daily number since late May, and public health officials are extremely concerned by recent trends.

“It is quite clear that Covid-19 remains a very real threat to our members and their families, and we will continue to play our part in the fight against coronavirus.

“At present, the clear and prescient advice is that fixtures should be played at local/county level only, before a return to national activity later in the year.

“Covid-19 and its associated dangers are still very much with us and will be for some time. In the current climate we cannot, and will not, sanction any fixture that involves participants from separate provinces, and until the inter-county window officially opens.

“The LGFA’s stance on the 2020 Lidl All-Ireland Post Primary Schools competitions, and indeed other competitions and initiatives affected, has not changed since it was first communicated in March, and reaffirmed following a recent review.

“We will not be revisiting decisions relating to the health and safety of our members, which remain wholly relevant, and we consider these matters closed”. 

For more Tipperary sport see National youth cycling championships to take place in Carrick-on-Suir