Former Limerick hurler Shane Dowling believes the non-payment of expenses to players would not be a deal-breaker in preventing this year's inter-county championships from going ahead, should they be allowed to do so.
We have already had some county chairmen come out and talk a bleak financial forecast for this year and into 2021. Following on from Tuesday's Government decision that will see no spectators at GAA games until 13 September at the earliest, that forecast would appear to be a lot weaker.
Of course, we are still not sure whether the various championships across all codes will begin towards the end of October. Supression of the virus is key, with Shane Dowling telling 2fm's Game On that "as players move from club to county squads, the risk of spreading the virus increases as you interact with a new group of player".
🎧 If inter-county players were asked to forego expenses to ease the financial burden on county boards, would it be an issue? Former @LimerickCLG player @dowlerznap told @GameOn2FM that he certainly doesn't think so #rtegaa 🎧 pic.twitter.com/9Cw47Vfs3b
— RTÉ GAA (@RTEgaa) August 19, 2020
That said, if the green light is given for championships, "players will be mad to play," he added.
And in reducing the financial burden on counties in this extraordinary year, the 2018 All-Ireland winner states that players would do their bit in not seeking travel and meal allowances.
"If players are told we're under pressure and expenses might be an issue, I don't think it will be a deal-breaker. Definitely not this year. There is no question about that. Players are happy to play and if they are told that's what it will take for games to ahead, I don' t think there will be a problem.
"Players are well looked after, they have always got everything they wanted.
"If the right procedures are in place for the competitions to go ahead, they'll be happy with that."
