Armagh’s Portugal trip does not infringe collective training rule

The Armagh county board have clarified reports that a team training holiday to Portugal this week was contravening the GAA’s rule on the matter, confirming they were granted permission for the trip from the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC).

It follows the success of Motion 14 at Congress in February – one of the opening 17 motions submitted by Central Council, consequent upon a report of the rules advisory committee – seeking an amendment and addition to Rule 6.45, and a general relaxing of the rule. It was successfully passed on a vote of 93 per cent.

The rule changed from “closed months/collective training” to “closed periods/collective training”, and, crucially, the following paragraph was added: “Collective training for all senior inter-county team panels which involves an overnight stay is not permitted from April 1st to November 1st except during the 10 days prior to that team playing in a championship game (or 17 days, if the game in question is an All-Ireland final) unless written permission has been given in advance by the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC)”.

In a statement from Armagh GAA, county chairman Michael Savage said: "In advance of any plans we contacted GAA Headquarters to seek permission for our senior county players to collectively train and this was subsequently granted by the CCCC.

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“In relation to comments surrounding our club fixtures over the Easter break, it has always been the case during our fixture planning that this time is kept free, if our competitions have already commenced. We are fully supportive of our county senior players and management as they now prepare for the forthcoming championship.”

The squad and manager Kieran McGeeney left for Portugal on Tuesday morning, where they will be staying in Vilamoura. They will return on Sunday night after a few days of gearing up for their May 19th Ulster Championship quarter-final clash against Down in Newry.

Last year, Armagh were found guilty of such an indiscretion, along with Laois footballers and both of Wexford’s intercounty squads. The punishment was to lose out on the first home league game of 2019.