Ahhh, this clears absolutely nothing up.
Ever since news broke that the GAA had informed organisers of a fundraising match in memory of Liam Miller that Páirc Uí Chaoimh was off limits, the association has taken flak from all sides.
A charity match, honouring Miller and raising money for his bereaved family, will take place at Turner’s Cross on September 25 but there had been brief hope that the game would take place in the 41,000 capacity Cork GAA headquarters.
That notion was knocked on the head, however, and, on Friday afternoon, a four-paragraph GAA statement exacerbated matters. Part of the statement read:
“Only a change at Annual Congress can alter this situation. Congress takes place in February each year.
“The GAA has sought legal advice around funding received towards the redevelopment of Páirc Uí Chaoimh and believes it is compliant with the terms and conditions laid down in September 2016.”
Many felt it in bad taste for the GAA to lie back on legalise while Miller’s family could be set to lose out on tens of thousands due to the match being set for the 7,000 capacity Turner’s Cross. There was a distinct lack of passion in the Friday statement and today’s is not much better.
Shortly after 3pm on Saturday, the association tweeted the following:
The GAA President and Ard Stiúrthóir, along with representatives of the Cork Committee, are to seek a meeting with the organising committee of the Liam Miller Tribute Match to discuss issues around the game.
— The GAA (@officialgaa) July 21, 2018
GAA President John Horan and Director General Tom Ryan now look set to join members of the Cork Committee and meet with the Liam Miller match organisers.
Rather than get anyone’s hopes up, all we are told is that they will ‘discuss issues around the game’. The major issue, one imagines, would be that the game being planned is soccer and not gaelic football.
It has been suggested on social media, and in several correspondence SportsJOE has received, that a compromise could yet be reached if GAA is somehow incorporated into the event. Some have suggested having a GAA game as a curtain-raiser for the soccer game while others have put forward the idea of 40 minutes per half of soccer and football.
Another GAA supporter contacted us to propose a completely separate gaelic football game taking place at Páirc Uí Chaoimh later this year, which could raise additional money for the family of the late Manchester United and Ireland midfielder.
The level of discourse and reaction to the news has certainly taken the GAA by surprise. That, in itself, is hardly a surprise.
