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Croke Park may see some intercounty action later this year, according to An Taoiseach. Bryan Keane/INPHO

GAA championship could happen this year behind closed doors, says Taoiseach

‘It’d be a later calendar than we’re used to,’ Leo Varadkar says.

THE GAA COULD run off this year’s senior intercounty hurling and football championships, but without supporters, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says.

“There’s a possibility of an All-Ireland this year,” he told Ryan Tubridy on the Late Late Show last night, where he appeared to discuss the government’s multi-part plan to reopen the country over the coming months.

“Obviously that’s a matter for the GAA,” he continued. “Not with spectators but it could be done. I think it’s possible. You’d be talking August and September. It’d be a later calendar than we’re used to.”

In the plan, which was published yesterday evening, ‘sports leagues with limited spectators’ is permitted under the proposed timeline from 20 July.   

Croke Park chiefs are yet to comment while the FAI said they will “move to evaluate the implications and update stakeholders from all strands of football as soon as feasible.”

The IRFU, meanwhile, “welcome the plan set out by the government and will review its implications for our players, clubs and employee group.”

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    Mute Joseph Murphy
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    Jan 11th 2015, 12:19 AM

    A player, no matter how good he is, calling the shots at a club and having more power than the manager is never a good thing.

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    Mute Derek Mahon
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    Jan 11th 2015, 2:22 AM

    On one hand Messi gets blamed for wanting to play every game, and on the other, Sterling gets blamed for wanting to take a rest. Seems like footballers can’t win these days.

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    Mute Dead Ball Browne
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    Jan 11th 2015, 12:19 AM

    Overpaid selfish git. Should concentrate on paying his fair share of taxes.

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    Mute Conor Cahill
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    Jan 11th 2015, 12:21 AM

    Quite frankly, although there a million miles between me and him as footballers and as people of interest, I don’t like what he is doing, trying to tell the coaches he wants to play every game and to never be left on the bench, no questions asked. While it makes sense because they can’t buy players at the moments, shouldn’t he stop and think for a second that while he’s undoubtedly the talisman, he needs to understand the fairness in letting teammates get a chance when they’re given an opportunity to fill his role?

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    Mute Nick Menezes
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    Jan 11th 2015, 8:35 AM

    Probably one of the greatest players there has ever been and arguably the best of his generation but NO player is bigger than the team.After all football is a team sport and NOT an individual sport.Players have their role to play and managers have their role to manage,end of story.

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    Mute Ciaran
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    Jan 11th 2015, 12:23 AM

    Looks like a smear campaign against the little magician!! To put this just beside an article about Ronaldos petulance is a nonsense!

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    Mute Daithi Mcmahon
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    Jan 11th 2015, 12:20 AM

    Messi needs to talk to Sterling

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    Mute Ebekonye Chbuzor
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    Jan 14th 2015, 9:20 PM

    People we must agree that messi has contributed to the barca we so much admire to day while we might see this as an act of disrespect . Tha turth still remains that messi should be entitled to some privliages. You know what they say you never know what u have untill u lose it. I tell u if barca is not careful that will be her case.

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