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INPHO/Cathal Noonan
New Thinking

Friday night lights? Still worth pursuing in the GAA, says Leinster chief

Provincial council chairman Martin Skelly is in favour of the concept.

LEINSTER COUNCIL CHAIRMAN Martin Skelly has urged the GAA to continue to pursue the concept of ‘Friday night lights’ in the Gaelic Games calendar.

Skelly’s tenure as provincial chairman draws to a close in January and he has revealed his regret that Friday night games are not established in the GAA fixtures programme.

But he believes that the Leinster Council should still advocate for the policy.

“It is a great regret to me but I’d be surprised if Leinster Council don’t continue to advocate for it. I really believe that we should be proactively taking on other sports on a Wednesday and Friday night, when possible.

“I also feel it would be great because it would help alleviate the chronic fixture congestion that is there.”

And Skelly, speaking yesterday at the launch of the Bord Na Móna Leinster GAA series, believes that adequate notification should ensure players are not adversely affected.

“I honestly believe if players get sufficient notification for a fixture, it should not cause them too many problems, once they know well in advance.

“We have no problem with our U21 championship being played on a Wednesday night. Counties and players would not want to go back to playing U21 on Saturday and senior on Sunday, we have to be innovative and Friday night games certainly have something to offer.

“Players like a weekend off. They have to wait around for a Sunday match but if they get sufficient notice of a Friday night game it could suit them and give them one weekend off.

“It also opens up things for clubs. They can play club competitions on Saturday’s and Sunday’s if the county plays on a Saturday night. I think there’s winners allround and the sporting public is very open to it.”

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