DERRY GAA: Scullion calls for All Ireland revamp

Mr. Scullion was speaking at the Derry County AGM in Owenbeg and welcomed Páraic Duffy’s recent report into player burn-out but said more has to be done.

“Despite best efforts, 2015 has, at times, seen conflict between the club and county fixtures programmes,” Mr Scullion told delegates, “Whilst there are always pressures, particularly in a dual county like ours, there are also steps which can be taken.

“These problems are not new and are not confined to our county. We welcome the recent report ‘Player Overtraining and Burnout, and the GAA Fixtures Calendar’ by Ard Stiúrthóir Páraic Duffy and are carefully considering its contents.

“However, real difference will only come about when the measures proposed are seen in light of any restructuring of the football championship. Our provincial championships are too protracted and should be condensed. The issue of qualifiers also comes in under the overall restructuring of the national competition and there are many current proposals on the table, some of which have the ability to provide real and meaningful change for local fixture makers and our clubs in the area of club championships.”

Some of these areas of change are within our control and some are not. We need the assistance of decision makers at provincial and national level to address the current imbalance between the club and county seasons.”