Connacht GAA president Vincent Neary isn’t convinced that the decision to axe pre-season competitions has helped to prevent player burnout.

It’s estimated that the provincial body lost over €100,000 in gate receipts after the GPA forced the GAA to scrap pre-season competitions this year on a trial basis.

"It was very disappointing to see the suspension of the FBD League and all pre-season competitions for a year," the Bonniconlon man wrote in his report to last week’s Connacht Convention.

"I am yet to be convinced by some of the arguments for their removal - player burnout because of the season extension and costs to counties by an earlier start to the season. It will be interesting to see if counties make a significant saving because of no pre-season competition, and to my knowledge players playing in the early competitions had little impact on burnout."

Neary added: "The result is that the competitions here in Connacht were a major source of income and if the Council is to continue to honour all their commitments, then replacement funding will have to come from somewhere."

Tweet

Most Read Stories