Looking for a value punt – back Galway to capture Sam at 10/1

Inside Track with John McIntyre

It comes as no surprise that Galway footballers have been backed into 10/1 third favourites to lift the Sam Maguire Cup next December after the GAA put the flesh on the bones of its revamped inter-county fixtures schedule due to the coronavirus outbreak.

For what seemed like an eternity, we had to tolerate the doomsayers almost revelling in the prospect of little of no sport going ahead for the rest of 2020 following the Government’s introduction of a lockdown last March to tackle Covid-19.

Back then, and for many weeks afterwards, none of could be sure how the pandemic would unfold and for how long it would impact on our normal existence, but those of use heavily invested in sport were entitled to hope that the rest of the year wouldn’t become a write off.

Sadly, Covid-19 is still claiming lives and its shadow could lurk for many more months, but the overall health picture currently looks an awful lot better. We still have to be careful and responsible as the country re-opens for business, while the prospect of international travel ratcheting up remains an understandable concern in the ongoing battle with the virus.

In the interim, we can look forward to a really condensed timetable for the All-Ireland hurling and football championships. It’s the same as club level as the GAA gallantly tries to fit nine and half months of competitive action into about half that time. Not every stakeholder can be satisfied and if social distancing is still with us next winter, crowds at matches will be severely impacted.

There had been calls for the GAA to use the health emergency as an opportunity to trial an open draw in the football championship, but the provincial councils remain a powerful lobby group in the Association and were never likely to acquiesce to such a radical move even in these unprecedented circumstances.

The bottom line, as we forecast a few weeks ago, is that no safety net will exist in the football championship, but there will be a second chance in hurling for defeated teams up to and including the provincial finals. That is simply down to numbers . . . there are 33 contenders (including London) in football, but only ten in hurling.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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