An Ghaeltacht’s Marc Ó Sé queries late decision to postpone game
An Ghaeltacht player-manager Marc Ó Sé has questioned why the decision to postpone their All-Ireland Club intermediate FC semi-final couldn’t have been made sooner.
The teams and supporters received word yesterday morning that the O’Moore Park pitch in Portlaoise was unplayable.
The game is likely to be rescheduled for Saturday.
The An Ghaeltacht team stayed in a Limerick hotel on Saturday night to break up the four-hour journey to the grounds, while many supporters from both clubs had stayed overnight in Portlaoise.
Páirc Uí Mhórdha ar maidin. Deir @officialgaa gur dóichí gur Dé Sathairn seo chughainn, 27ú a bheith an cluiche anois. Beidh socrú déanta amáireach. pic.twitter.com/VbmhIENxXt
— Cumann Caide na Gaeltachta (@AnGhaeltacht) January 21, 2018
“It’s the same for both teams but I know the cost was huge for us staying in a hotel,” said Ó Sé.
“We had a fundraiser before Christmas but the money from that has been set aside for a new pitch. For this game, we’ve been depending on the goodwill of the club, the community and business people.
“People might ask why we didn’t travel to Portlaoise but for a lot of our fellas it’s an hour and 15 minute drive to Tralee and then another hour and a half from there to Limerick. It wouldn’t have made sense to go all the way.
“You wonder why these games were still a go-ahead when there was the strong possibility of a flooded pitch. It’s disappointing but it is what it is. We’ve to move on now and have tunnel vision for the next day.”
On Twitter yesterday, Moy’s former Tyrone star Seán Cavanagh asked if Croke Park could have been used: “Turning back heading home,” he posted.
“Portlaoise unplayable. Families all down yesterday. Tough on entire club. Could Croke Park have been used?”
The O’Byrne Cup final between Meath and Westmeath, which was to form the second part of a televised double-header with the An Ghaeltacht-Moy game on TG4, was also postponed and will be rescheduled for the middle of February.
All of the All-Ireland championship semi-final games including Kanturk’s intermediate hurling clash with Middletown Na Fianna arranged for Navan, Newbridge and Tullamore as well as the Kehoe Cup final were postponed.
A number of national camogie league games also fell foul of the poor weather.
Re-fixture details will be released today although it is expected the club games will take place this weekend.
The FBD Connacht League round game between Galway and Roscommon was also cancelled. The counties’ final is fixed for February 18.
