National Forum

The Corona Virus And Possible Effects To GAA Matches

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "There's plenty of places North and South where there's high rates of COVID. I don't see how you can think it's insulting to any region to not want to go and play there because it might have a high rate of COVID if it's a fact. That's taking offence a bit too much for me. I agree with your post otherwise. I think this employer's wanting some lads to quarantine for two weeks is hard to believe. I think Waterford could still make the fixture with different plans like staying in a hotel in Dundalk the night before the match. I wouldn't be happy that Waterford are making so much an effort but we don't know the full circumstances for them. But I don't think that not wanting to go to Antrim because it has an unavoidably high COVID rate should cause offence to anyone in Antrim. If a 6 county team doesn't want to to play in a high COVID rate area in 26 counties it shouldn't be taken as an offence either."
The venue makes no difference other than it being scheduled as Antrims home game. Players do not come into contact with local people. I can't see any circumstances where a panel from the 6 continues would refuse to travel if the game has already been sanctioned as safe to do so by the GAA. Their county board wouldn't last a week. Look what Fermanagh did at the weekend to play that game even though they were actually impacted by the virus and players isolating. In the interests of some facts, although it's not relevant as Waterford would not be in contact with the people of Portglenone or the surrounding area, but the virus rate in that council area is about 230 per 100k . A bigger risk is probably staying overnight somewhere say for example Dundalk as mentioned which I am taking it would be seen as a safe option seeing as it's in the south !

RoverTin (Derry) - Posts: 228 - 22/10/2020 16:04:23    2300265

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Replying To SaffronDon:  "Staying in a hotel would be a lot more risky than travelling separately to play a match on the day, regardless of where the venue is imo. The biggest danger the team will face will be from their own team mates before and after the match. Possibly the men they are marking too but then that wasn't an issue for Waterford if it was held in Dublin or wherever. I'm not sure they Waterford board meant to insult our great county, but I do struggle to see the logic in their statement."
Isn't the important thing is..that Antrim got 2pts without even breaking a sweat and currently sit top of the Table with 9pts and in a good position for promotion, that's the positive way of looking at it.

katser (Galway) - Posts: 2554 - 22/10/2020 16:13:57    2300270

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Replying To katser:  "Isn't the important thing is..that Antrim got 2pts without even breaking a sweat and currently sit top of the Table with 9pts and in a good position for promotion, that's the positive way of looking at it."
Its not a bad thing from an Antrim perspective I agree, expecially after last weekend! Just a bit concerning from a broader perspective if this type of thing is going to become the norm. No venue should really be seen as more risky than others if health and safety is followed correctly.

SaffronDon (Antrim) - Posts: 2558 - 22/10/2020 16:29:58    2300280

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Replying To SaffronDon:  "Its not a bad thing from an Antrim perspective I agree, expecially after last weekend! Just a bit concerning from a broader perspective if this type of thing is going to become the norm. No venue should really be seen as more risky than others if health and safety is followed correctly."
You hit the nail on the head with your last line!

If you were dropped into that nursing home in Ballinasloe today, you'd damn well make sure you social distanced, kept your hands from any surfaces, and gave them a good clean before touching anything else.

Now. . .everyone just think of the entire country as one massive infected building like that for the next 6 weeks. Job done.

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5244 - 22/10/2020 16:47:38    2300288

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Antrim need two results to go their way for promotion - Wexford v Wicklow not finishing in a draw and a Sligo victory over Limerick.

M Lyster (Antrim) - Posts: 465 - 22/10/2020 17:03:20    2300293

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If you were the sinister type you could think that this suited Antrim guaranteeing them points. Look at Waterford's last three games and their results . Steadily improving. Not a certain win for Antrim. However I have too much respect for Antrim to believe that was their motivation. They like us in both sports are at a fringe status to the elite teams and hopefully supportive of each other. Waterford needing a game worse than Antrim and the Waterford chairman like his father before him is an honourable man that has served the GAA with distinction.

Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 3026 - 22/10/2020 18:40:36    2300325

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I personally don't believe there should be any Gaelic Games at the minute as we head into the winter months. If businesses are closing and deaths rising why is the luxury of sport allowed to continue? These are crazy times and people are scared and worried. Let's be honest it IS dangerous up here at the minute thanks to certain parties in Stormont who want NOTHING to do with an ALL ISLAND Covid strategy and narrative which is the only sensible one. To be fair to Waterford they have been very good to Antrim in the past and I won't jump to condemn them now.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9816 - 22/10/2020 18:44:27    2300326

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Replying To galwayford:  "I have my doubts the likes of him and his pals would be welcome at the Rugby. He is from the country for one, and probably doesnt drive an SUV."
I was going to reply but I have a lot of concerns in relation to you & I think it's best to avoid entering any debate with you. I probably should have stopped a long time ago as it was very obvious from your very first posts on here when you started first. I wish you well.

moc.dna (Galway) - Posts: 1212 - 22/10/2020 21:06:47    2300365

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now offaly give a w o in the christy ring, call off this farse of playing games before members die

Stmunnsriver (Wexford) - Posts: 2966 - 22/10/2020 21:15:06    2300369

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https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2020/1022/1173335-27-offaly-players-deemed-close-contacts-due-to-training/

This is a bloody nightmare now..!

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4181 - 22/10/2020 22:17:24    2300384

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Antrim offering tonight to play Waterford in County Louth . Will this be too far north for the Waterford county board ?
I look forward to normal times when Waterford have to travel to the northern part of OUR island , you can be sure the local teams will be ready for these great free staters .

hurler32 (Limerick) - Posts: 870 - 22/10/2020 22:27:40    2300387

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If any of you watched Prime Time tonight I think it's obvious from the experts view that these lockdowns are never going to work, and a safe effective vaccine may be years away if it ever even comes,
all lockdowns do is protect the hospitals from being over run, that's the theory,
we need to build more capacity into the hospitals and get on with living, the amount of money we are borrowing and throwing into the black hole of the Hse is ridiculous. we are destroying the lives of young people and it's all for nothing, the virus will go through the population eventually anyway,
all this panicking about daily numbers, positive tests etc is a fear frenzy that is achieving nothing but scaring the bejasus out of the elderly and ruining the quality of life they had,
We have been hearing about these record high numbers in Donegal now for weeks,
you'd think from the media that it was armageddon up here, Letterkenny hospital has never been as quite, all these positive tests have not resulted in any surge in the hospital, we'll see how the next few weeks goes.
A big rethink is needed because these lockdowns will get us nowhere, the shops were packed for the last few days. even the ones that are staying open anyway!!
if they are going to proceed with lockdowns they'd be as well to do it without notice the next time, brains are in short supply obviously.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3175 - 22/10/2020 22:45:48    2300391

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https://www.donegaldaily.com/2020/10/22/under-35s-should-be-excluded-from-next-lockdown-dr-mcdaid/

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3175 - 22/10/2020 22:52:01    2300395

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It's over lads may as well give up, between those within(who should have just said they wouldn't participate at the start and that didnt want to play) and the anti gaa mob we've been well and truly sold a turkey no one wants.

OhtobeARossie (Roscommon) - Posts: 1792 - 22/10/2020 23:22:42    2300399

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Replying To Stmunnsriver:  "now offaly give a w o in the christy ring, call off this farse of playing games before members die"
""before members die". I've seen lots of over the top comments on here from posters with high anxiety levels in recent days but yours wins the prize.

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 2011 - 22/10/2020 23:59:22    2300402

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https://www.skysports.com/gaa/football/news/30543/12110997/waterford-concede-national-league-match-away-to-antrim-due-to-travel-concerns

Looks like the game is back on...!

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4181 - 23/10/2020 00:03:14    2300403

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Replying To Fionn:  "https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2020/1022/1173335-27-offaly-players-deemed-close-contacts-due-to-training/

This is a bloody nightmare now..!"
If Offaly have all these close contacts what about Antrim with five positive tests surely they are in trouble

jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1689 - 23/10/2020 00:29:10    2300405

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As much as I desperately want the championship to go ahead and have been looking forward to it for months, I think at this stage that it should be called off. It is no fault of Offaly that they have been forced to give a walkover - it could easily have been any other county in their position and there almost certainly will be more walkovers granted in the coming weeks. It is a complete lottery at this stage and it is unfair to continue with the games.

Gaillimh_Abu (Galway) - Posts: 1033 - 23/10/2020 06:12:04    2300408

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Replying To Fionn:  "https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2020/1022/1173335-27-offaly-players-deemed-close-contacts-due-to-training/

This is a bloody nightmare now..!"
The real issue here is that for first time ever and against previous guidelines the HSE have deemed everyone who took part in the training session as close contacts......that seems to be changing the goal posts compared to before

ArmaghCat (Armagh) - Posts: 86 - 23/10/2020 08:52:34    2300417

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The Offaly situation is a strange one. Someone in the HSE seems to have changed the definitions of close and casual contacts that have been in place all summer. At the same time, the Irish women's rugby team lost 3 players this morning, and the rest of the squad are available to play tomorrow. Seems like double standards.

football first (None) - Posts: 1259 - 23/10/2020 09:11:41    2300418

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