By John Considine
This weekend the 2015 Leinster senior football championship starts. Over a week ago, Pat Flanagan (Offaly manager) raised an annual issue - Dublin playing at home in Croke Park (here). Flanagan argued that this conferred an advantage on Dublin. The data clearly show that there is an advantage playing at home in gaelic games. IIhave documented this previously on this blog (here).
Writing in the Irish Examiner, Brendan O'Brien, highlighted the revenue argument that is made to keep the game in Croke Park (here). O'Brien draws attention to the possible consequences of the combination of Dublin's dominance of the Leinster championship and the fact that all the Dublin games are played in Croke Park. O'Brien's piece draws attention to the tension between commercial and culture.
The Dublin camp have also addressed the issue in the meantime. Jim Gavin (Dublin manager) responded that the choice of venue is not decided by Dublin (here). The Dublin half-back James McCarthy also made a comment on the issue (here). McCarthy claimed they would love to play games outside Croke Park.
Ian O'Riordan is the journalist responsible for the McCarthy piece in the Irish Times. McCarthy briefly talks to the issue of drug testing. In the same piece, the President of the Gaelic Players Association, Dessie Farrell, is quoted at greater length about drug testing. Farrell articulates some of the fears of the players.
Today, Ian O'Riordan returned to the issue of drug testing in the GAA but this time in conversation with Irish 800m athlete Mark English (here). O'Riordan and English probably put the case more forcefully than I did yesterday (see below). However, there are similarities. In particular, the GAA needs to engage positively with drug testing.
Writing in the Irish Examiner, Brendan O'Brien, highlighted the revenue argument that is made to keep the game in Croke Park (here). O'Brien draws attention to the possible consequences of the combination of Dublin's dominance of the Leinster championship and the fact that all the Dublin games are played in Croke Park. O'Brien's piece draws attention to the tension between commercial and culture.
The Dublin camp have also addressed the issue in the meantime. Jim Gavin (Dublin manager) responded that the choice of venue is not decided by Dublin (here). The Dublin half-back James McCarthy also made a comment on the issue (here). McCarthy claimed they would love to play games outside Croke Park.
Ian O'Riordan is the journalist responsible for the McCarthy piece in the Irish Times. McCarthy briefly talks to the issue of drug testing. In the same piece, the President of the Gaelic Players Association, Dessie Farrell, is quoted at greater length about drug testing. Farrell articulates some of the fears of the players.
Today, Ian O'Riordan returned to the issue of drug testing in the GAA but this time in conversation with Irish 800m athlete Mark English (here). O'Riordan and English probably put the case more forcefully than I did yesterday (see below). However, there are similarities. In particular, the GAA needs to engage positively with drug testing.
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