Ring the GAA rule change klaxon.
Are you a London, Fermanagh, Derry, Offaly, Louth, Westmeath, Waterford, or Leitrim native? Probably feeling disillusioned with the whole county set-up and looking forward to a winter of hiding?
Well, guess what? You’re back in training in two weeks’ time.
The GAA have introduced an amendment (imagine) to the training restraints which put a ban on counties reconvening too early before the following season had begun. So if you’re one of the lucky sods fortunate enough to have been dumped out of the first football qualifying rounds, you can officially meet up for communal sessions again on Saturday fortnight, November 15. Antrim and Laois can also do so in the hurling.
If you exited your championship in July, you’ll have to wait until December 1 before you can commence training again. August leavers are back December 8 whereas those who made it the whole way until December 29 (because of the mandatory closing period for all intercounty squads from December 21 to December 28).
So, basically, if your county got turfed out on their ears in June, you can get going again in two weeks. By then, you’ll only have at least six months to prepare for the very, very start of the championship period. So what are you waiting for?
