Days of Doyle and Ring gone but the Inter-Pros linger on

Talking Sport with Stephen Glennon

SOME people might look upon the scheduling of the GAA’s interprovincial series – hurling and Gaelic football – this December weekend as the dying breath of a competition beginning to pale into insignificance, but Connacht hurling coach Noel Larkin firmly believes the inter-pros do have a place in the GAA calendar.

Gone may be the days when the greats of the game would come together for what used to be a keenly anticipated St. Patrick’s Day showdown. For all intents and purposes, these were the Super Bowls of both codes. A time of myths and legends. Of Ring and Doyle, titans of yesteryear.

Over recent decades, however, the competition has lost a great deal of its soul. Where once tens of thousands of people would jam their way into Croke Park, now the competition relies on the goodwill of a few hundred die-hard supporters to man the terraces.

This weekend, both the hurling and football interprovincial competitions take place over two days at various venues, with Connacht facing Ulster in their semi-final at Pearse Stadium on Saturday (12:30pm). The hurling final, irrespective of who wins is scheduled for the same venue on Sunday (1:30pm).

Fixed at the bookend of the year, it would appear the Railway Cup, as it is still fondly known, has become an afterthought. Hurling coach Larkin, who is part of the Justin Campbell led Connacht management team, though disagrees and stresses the inter-pros still have a place in the GAA. “Without a doubt. It is a great competition. The players love being involved,” he begins.

“I think it could be on at a more appropriate time of the year, maybe before a [National] League final or something like that which would give it a bit more exposure. You have the cream of the country playing and the players really buy into it because they are playing with and against the best in the game.

“For example, take the Roscommon players – Micheal Kelly, Peter Kelleghan and Liam Kilcline – and Kenny Feeney from Mayo. It is a big honour for them to be involved. They love working with the Galway players. And they don’t look out of place either.”

Kelleghan, for one, is an outstanding talent with the Tremane man crowned the Nicky Rackard ‘Hurler of the Year’ after inspiring Roscommon hurlers to the title with a dramatic victory over Armagh last June. That was the game classy centre-half back Kelly nailed a last gasp 20-metre free to steal the win.

For more, see this week’s Galway City Tribune.