Training controls unlikely to be on agenda

Seán Moran talks to Dr Con Murphy, a member of the new GAA Work Group that will look into problems of over-training

The regulation of training sessions is unlikely to be on the agenda of a new GAA Work Group established to look into the problems of over-training.

Dr Con Murphy, chair of the association's medical sub-committee and medical officer to the Cork teams, is a member of the new body, which will be chaired by former Dublin manager Dr Pat O'Neill, also a member of the medical sub- committee.

"That's impractical," says Murphy about the idea of restricting the work done by teams. "It won't happen but it's very hard to know what you can do to limit the wear and tear. I haven't seen the work group's specific terms of reference but it's about injuries and what can be done to prevent them and combat training burnout."

This issue has been concerning the GAA for a number of years, as evidence mounts players are suffering more injuries and enjoying shorter careers under the strain of intense preparations and the stress of unreasonable demands, particularly on underage players.

"The days of playing into your 30s are gone," says Murphy. "The big problem I find is niggling injuries that don't get rested because of other commitments. A player wants to play for his club and often won't sit out a match to ensure he's fit for the county, and visa versa."

Even at this stage of the year many counties are reassembling to plan their training regimes and start physical work. Murphy's experience of the intercounty scene goes back nearly 30 years.

"The pace of the game has increased remarkably," he says. "My first season with the Cork teams was in 1976 but I'd have to say I've never seen a team that played at the pace of this year's. Back in those days teams trained Tuesday and Thursday with a match on Sunday. Panels got together for serious training about three weeks before the championship started."

The intercounty championships have changed beyond recognition with an expanded format guaranteeing most top counties an involvement up until late July and early August.

"There were much fewer matches because championships were all knockout. Even the clubs were organised that way. That seriously affected the amount of work that went in every year. In the football we were knocked out by Kerry most years after two matches."

Even the National League wasn't taken as seriously. The modern game may not target the league as a trophy but it is treated as a very important part of preparation for the championship.

"My memories of the National Leagues back then are of fellas crying off wholesale before matches, nearly every match for spurious reasons. The league wasn't taken seriously in terms of player participation and there was no great emphasis on winning it. In fact even then it was regarded as bad for your chances of doing well in the championship.

"Look at it now. Cork were full strength in most matches in this year's league - based on the players available; taking into account injuries and club commitments. No one was crying off. Players are now much fitter."

But that creates its own problems. Murphy says the impact on football has been negative. "Hurling is still a very attractive game but - and this is a general rather than a medical opinion - I'm not sure that's true of football. Hurling is a faster game and the ball moves more quickly, which is an advantage, but footballers are now fit enough to follow the ball and create this bunching effect. Football will have to look at certain areas because the days of high catching are over. There's no space to catch the ball and players bunch around the fielder.

Meanwhile, Leinster manager Luke Dempsey has named his side for tomorrow's interprovincial football final against Ulster in Paris. It shows three changes from the team that beat Munster in the semi-final. John Keane, Damien Healy (both Westmeath) and Paddy Keenan (Louth) are replaced by Westmeath's Donal O'Donoghue, Meath's Nigel Crawford and Dublin's Bryan Cullen.

LEINSTER (SF v Ulster): G Connaughton (Westmeath); N McKeigue (Meath), D O'Donoghue (Westmeath), K Slattery (Offaly); B Cullen (Dublin), T Kelly (capt; Laois), K Fitzpatrick (Laois); N Garvan (Laois), N Crawford (Meath); E Kelly (Meath), P Barden (Longford), J Doyle (Kildare); A Brogan (Dublin), P Kellaghan (Offaly), M Forde (Wexford). Substitutes: F Byron (Laois), P Wallace (Wexford), D Breen (Wexford), T Smullen (Longford), P Keenan (Louth), T Walsh (Carlow), S Rea (Carlow), P Davis (Longford), R Munnelly (Laois).