‘Tis some weather we’re getting recently.
The temperatures in west Tipperary are higher than they were in Ibiza this week. The sun is splitting the stones, there’s barely a cloud in the sky and we haven’t seen a drop of rain in a long time.
Pitches all over the country are scorched like they’ve never been before and sliotars and gaelic footballs are bouncing over poor GAA players’ heads unforgivably.
It’s real bog weather for some while others are just soaking it all in sunbathing. Nobody has it as tough in this warm weather as the GAA players all over the country.
County teams all over are in the absolute thick of their championship seasons. Training for them may not be as intense or as hard-hitting as it was earlier in the year but they’re still training regularly and they’re still training hard.
Club players are the same and the majority of them are no in preparation for the biggest games of their seasons depending on their county team’s progress.
Over the last few evenings, training sessions have been a bit of a slog. The air is dead, it’s as humid as its ever been in Ireland and the sweat is dripping off players from Armagh to county Cork.
The challenge is to stay hydrated through it all. When you’re lagging through a game or wilting under the sun, there’s nothing better than a slug of cold uisce to reinvigorate yourself.
While it’s great not to be complaining about waterlogged and snow-covered pitches for a while, For games, these conditions are even more gruelling.
On Thursday night, Tipperary GAA took action by introducing a water break in a junior B hurling game 20 minutes into the first half.
Tipperary CoOp West Junior B Hurling Championship. Golden v Arravale game earlier this evening in Annacarty. Referee David Ryan stopped the game after 20 minutes of play for "water break". Common sense approach on the hottest day for many years. Greatly appreciated by all.
— John O Shea (@JohnOSheaLaffan) June 28, 2018
Offaly GAA tweeted on Thursday evening that they would be introducing one water break in each half for five minutes long. Wicklow player Jamie Snell called on his county board to follow suit.
With the high temperatures set to continue into the weekend, GAA folk are calling for water breaks to be introduced for the big inter-county games that take place this weekend.
Three massive hurling finals take place on Sunday and one wonders whether there will be mid-half water breaks in those games.
Today was Ireland's hottest day for 42 years. Hopefully common sense will prevail and the GAA will allow water breaks for players in this weekend's championship matches.
— Pauric Lodge (@pauriclodge) June 28, 2018
To think this was the setting less than three months ago.
