Pat Spillane believes the GAA missed a ‘golden opportunity’ to promote the Allianz Leagues over the St Patrick’s weekend.

Lamenting the GAA’s lack of marketing compared to Cheltenham and the Six Nations, the Kerry legend wrote in the Sunday World: “Everything wrong with the GAA’s marketing strategy (or lack of one) was exposed on St Patrick’s weekend.

“Granted the hurling league was a bit of a damp squib as the seven teams who will form the new Division 1A knew their fate prior to last weekend’s final round of games. On the other hand, there was a storyline in virtually every fixture in the penultimate round of the football league.

“There ought to have been lots of razzmatazz and hype. Instead, it was a case of ‘nothing to see here’.

“What annoys the hell out of me is that there was virtually no effort made by either the GAA or the league sponsors Allianz to market the games.

“It was St Patrick’s weekend after all, which is a celebration of all things Irish. Surely there is nothing more Irish than our traditional games of Gaelic football and hurling?

“Better still, St Patrick’s Day fell on a Sunday, giving the GAA the perfect platform to launch a promotion campaign surrounding their games.

“An estimated two million people enjoyed 500 festivals and parades in Ireland last weekend. Surely the GAA should have played a more central role in those celebrations.

“Instead, they sat on their hands and failed to take a golden opportunity.”

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