Sir, - David Lawrenson (July 28th) declares that recent drawn matches in GAA provincial championships were "embarrassingly engineered draws". He goes on to make scathing reference to "undisciplined players" with skills "secondary only to unrestrained violence" and in a later paragraph to "insular amateurism and intercounty tribalism".
Strong stuff. Mr Lawrence obviously does not approve of the GAA, its games, its structures or its players. Mr Lawrenson is entitled to his opinions - but I cannot agree with him when he suggests that players and/or officials "embarrassingly" engineer draws to ensure "subsequently fruitful replays". Play for Kildare, Dublin, Clare or Waterford, and see what would happen if a "draw" was suggested.
And as to being more violent than skilful, 46,000 turned up to see Clare and Waterford "embarrassingly engineer" their great drawn game. 51,000 turned up the following Sunday to see the same "undisciplined players" replay and, amazingly, over 26,000 were present exactly a week later to see Waterford's "insular amateurs" display their skills (undisciplined? Secondary to violence?) in beating Galway in what we now learn from Mr Lawrenson was merely another bit of "inter-county tribalism".
As regards our Olympic athletes - the best of luck to them. Keep up the training. By all means take all the appearance money, prize money, gold bars, sponsorship money and product endorsement you can get. Also accept the not inconsiderable sums the Government now pay out to quite a number of said Olympic athletes. And congratulations to the young girl form Co Kilkenny - curiously a true amateur - for bringing home the two gold medals from Moscow.
Mr Lawrenson is quite right in taking to task our TV overlords for their appalling neglect in covering our own sporting events. Cycling, horse shows, outrigger and curragh racing, our own tennis, athletics up and down the country, swimming galas - they should all be shown on TV. He is on the ball when he wants more competitors and a lot fewer officials going to events abroad.
Lastly, having regard to my views on GAA matches, let me make it clear that I played rugby for over 23 years, and am a lifelong follower of a League of Ireland soccer club and have never been a member of the GAA. - Yours, etc., Jack Phelan,
Firgrove Gardens, Bishopstown, Cork.