Galway hurling and football camps critical of ‘Stone Age’ training facilities
STONE Age training facilities are jeopardising the All-Ireland championship prospects of the Galway hurlers and footballers this year.
Sources in both camps report a growing frustration among the managements and players over the lack of a dedicated training complex for the preparation of the county’s flagship GAA teams.
The atrocious weather in recent months has put into perspective just how ill-equipped Galway GAA is when it comes to catering for its county teams which have, on occasion, had to travel to Bekan in Mayo to prepare.
These concerns were not only due to be brought to the officers of the County Committee this week but also the depth of the concerns the management and players from both camps have in relation to the dearth of training facilities were also to be expressed.
With the Summer months approaching, and hopefully an upturn in the weather, the situation should improve for both county set-ups but a source within the Galway hurling camp, who does not wish to be named, believed that should not detract from a problem that needs an expedient solution.
“It is not at crisis point yet, only because the weather is improving, but, again, what happens down the line,” the source began. “It is now the middle of April and there have been less than 20 field sessions done.”
Given most of the counties around the country have their own Centre of Excellence, Galway’s inter-county sides are in real danger of falling behind. “Training was cancelled one night because there was nowhere to go and then you see the likes of the Wicklow with their four sand-based pitches or Meath with their facilities in Dungany.”
Indeed, the source outlined that the Friday night before Galway’s National League game against Kilkenny, the management and players arrived down to Ballinasloe to find the gates locked. “Ultimately, the gates did open but that was only after a number of phone calls were made,” the source added.
Adding to their concerns is that their rivals are racing ahead in terms of the infrastructure being made available to them.
For instance, Clare, who will replace Galway in Division 1A of the National Hurling League next year, finally opened their Centre of Excellence at Caherlohan thanks to a Munster Council grant of €500,000, a portion of which was also earmarked for the redevelopment of Cusack Park in Ennis.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.