LAST UPDATE | 15 Feb 2022
JAMES HORAN HAS called the demands on young inter-county players “unsustainable” in the wake of Tommy Conroy’s ACL injury.
Conroy had been double jobbing with Mayo in the Allianz Football League on weekends while on Sigerson Cup duty with NUIG in midweek.
His season came to a crashing halt when a devastating knee injury in the third-level quarter-final, which took place two days after he played the second-half of Mayo’s league draw with Donegal.
Speaking with the Mayo News, Horan criticised the scheduling of third-level GAA competitions as the average age of inter-county panels continue to drop.
“It’s just unsustainable. If you were designing it from scratch, the current scheduling of the Sigerson would be the worst case you could possibly design. The demands on players don’t make sense at any level and we’ve worked hard to protect our players.
“We’ve had sessions where we have nine guys training and 22 not training. There are more guys not training than training most nights. We have to have them there because we need to go through how we play, but this situation doesn’t make any sense to anyone.
“I’m not sure about the U20 competition and when that can be played but certainly the Sigerson must be pulled out of where it is. That’s the first and obvious thing that needs to happen. Can it be pulled pre-Christmas like it used to be?
“I think that’s what should happen and see how it works. It’s just not right and I’d say the same thing if Tommy hadn’t got injured.
“The Sigerson cannot be played the way it currently is. Inter-county football is getting younger and younger, and that age-group is being constantly squeezed. Players are trying to play for us, and they’ve got Sigerson or Trench Cup and the U20s as well.”
Eoghan McLaughlin is expected to miss three to four weeks with the ankle injury he sustained in the second round against Monaghan.
McLaughlin’s UL face Conroy’s NUIG in tomorrow’s Sigerson Cup final, with both Mayo stars sidelined for the decider.
Meanwhile, Meath star Jordan Morris has seen his transfer Nobber to Kingscourt Stars in Cavan rubber-stamped by the GAA.
The talented young forward, who has become a key figure in Andy McEntee’s team since his breakthrough in 2020, has returned to the club where he began his underage career.
Morris’s loss is a blow for intermediate side Nobber, who he helped to the Meath IFC title in 2019 before their relegation in 2020.
First published today at 14.13
If Horan is so concerned about the schedule on these players why did he select him to play 48 hrs before the Sigerson Cup match? Maybe his players shouldn’t play county till Sigerson Cup is finished for their College?
@DerekHennessy: County before college.
@Dave Johnston: why? Colleges give scholarships to these young players and the college season is long over before IC championship
@DerekHennessy: totally agree play a squad let the lads play for the colleges plenty more players in the county to give a run out in the league there james
@James Moran: 100% agree, he knows what Conroy can do, give a lad who needs the experience a chance, for all his talk Horan only is thinking about results and never gave his players load of games any consideration
County managers,you are part of the problem.
A lot of them are getting paid serious cash off the books. Let’s not b naive here lads. There’s serious money in Sigerson and anyone who thinks there’s not is fooling themselves . There is thousands of euros been paid to top inter-county players to participate in this every year. Rents paid, cars sponsored and cash changing hands. Lads are enrolling in courses just so they can play. U can’t blame them either. So there’s no chance they will pack it in.
@Martin Glynn: Tell us more Martin
Dont pick him then. Let him play with the college. It’s always been like that. Was he not aware. Its actually horans fault.
Could as easily happened during training
@John O Reilly: think you’re missing the point there John. Personally I think any county player that is playing league games shouldn’t be playing sigerson.
@Paul Mallon: shouldn’t be playing Allianz league***
@Stanley: well one or the other yea, asking lads to play two games within 48hours is madness
@Paul Mallon: a lot of GAA players get sports scholarships to 3rd level so they are probably obligated to play for the colleges first. Counties are to blame for burn out. Cork didn’t enter the Munster hurling league as they had over 20 players playing Fitzgibbon cup
@Paul Mallon: don’t think so. I imagine the Mayo training sessions are quite intense
@Patrick O Connell: scholarships ???? A lot of them are getting paid serious cash off the books. Let’s not b naive here lads. There’s serious money in Sigerson and anyone who thinks there’s not is fooling themselves . There is thousands of euros been paid to top inter-county players to participate in this every year. Rents paid, cars sponsored and cash changing hands. Lads are enrolling in courses just so they can play. U can’t blame them either.
@Martin Glynn: I heard that recently and was shocked at the money involved.
@Paul Mallon: he doesn’t play for college, therefore he doesn’t get scholarship, let the county board pay for his college education
@Martin Glynn: paid by who?
@David Lydon: post man Pat ……. The colleges. Who do u think? Do u think the likes of davey Fitz goes in helping colleges for the good of his health or community spirit ???? Some lads end up playing for more than one college.
Agree. Look at the schedule some young Galway hurlers such as Niland are subject to? Two major games per week? No surprise they suffer long term injuries or just quit playing.
Is there any medical evidence that over playing caused Tommy’s injury. Inter county Training for inter county 3 times a week would be no walk in the park. I would metal fatigue would be a bigger risk with too many games