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GAA

09th Nov 2015

Dingle’s misfortune highlights ridiculousness of club GAA fixtures

Legion advance

Mikey Stafford

Remember this one for future table quizzes.

If Legion beat Nemo in their Munster club SFC semi-final on Sunday they will be one game away from winning a provincial title, before they have even won a county title.

Yesterday’s Kerry SFC final draw between Legion and South Kerry threw the club calendar into disarray and, with the Kerry champions scheduled to play Cork champions Nemo in less than a week, GAA chiefs were forced into a decision.

While South Kerry, as a divisional side, were never eligible to compete in the provincial club tournament, a win for them would have seen Kerry senior club champions Dingle represent the county in Munster.

However the ridiculous fixture congestion for clubs at this time of the year means that there is no wiggle room in the schedule and Dingle’s season has been ended by committee.

The replay of yesterday’s 0-9 to 0-9 draw has been fixed for November 22nd, leaving Legion free next weekend to play Nemo Rangers.

South Kerry were unlucky not to win the game yesterday and, with an extra weekend of rest and preparation, should fancy their chances against the Killarney side in the replay.

A win for Legion next weekend and South Kerry a week later could see a side who are not county champions contesting the Munster club final.

It will be yet another farcical nail in the coffin of the GAA calendar, which Paraic Duffy is determined to tackle at next year’s Congress.

However it will take more than pushing the All-Ireland finals forward by a fortnight to eradicate these sort of shambles once and for all.

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