Hurlers to continue to play by the rules

Kevin Óg Carney

March 10 last and the portents weren’t good for Cavan Hurling Inc. RTE’s Aertel service had just delivered the news of a dramatic blow to the solar plexus of one of the largest GAA clubs in Ireland’s second largest city.
The national broadcaster announced that St. Gall’s had closed its clubhouse and suspended all training and matches after a member tested positive for the Covid-19 virus.
RTE’s report claimed that an adult, non-playing member of the club had tested positive for the virus after returning from a trip to Italy. 
The clubhouse was closed for a deep clean on advice from Northern Ireland’s Public Health Agency (PHA).
Winners of the All-Ireland Club SFC title in 2010 and a sporting behemoth based on the Falls Road in west Belfast, the Saints boast, among its membership, one Ollie Bellew.
Bellew, current Cavan senior hurling team-manager, was tested for the virus. Deeply embedded in so many activities at the club, he was entitled to be concerned about the possibility that he had contracted Covid-19.
“Initially when I heard the club was going into lockdown, my first reaction was to worry but we checked, in depth, the circumstances of the one member that was diagnosed and we knew that there were only two other people he was in contact with at Saint Galls and they were put in self isolation and I was content I was in the no-risk category.
“Having said that, I still took the step to take off a couple of days from my work with the Cavan hurlers. I stayed away ‘till the test results showed that I was negative. 
“The only sensible thing was for me to take the decision to stay away and let the backroom team co-ordinate things in my absence.
“St Gall’s went into a lockdown situation as far as our social club and training side of things was concerned some time before Croke Park issued its directive. 
“My club took the initiative, before the GAA itself, after getting guidance from the PHA.
“At St Gall’s, we are always pro-active in looking after our members’ welfare and those attending our social club. There’s no confirmation yet about re-starting collective training but we will be following a course laid down by the PHA directives at all times and taking advice from the best possible sources.”
All the while he was under observation as a possible victim of the virus, the Stormont (Northern Ireland Assembly) official was in touch with Cavan GAA County Board. 
It was agreed that he wouldn’t make the four-hour round trip to the Breffni County ‘till the medical professionals had given him the green light to return to the coalface at Kingspan Breffni.
But before he could envisage linking up again with the Cavan hurlers, the GAA, nationally, pulled the plug on all collective training for all inter-county hurling and football squads.
Was any question of the hurlers doing their own thing as a squad?
“It wasn’t a decision for us to take. The GAA are in control of that and when collective training can resume. If they said it was all systems go we would make all the checks and proceed upon medical advice.
“Our families make sacrifices for us to enjoy our hurling. I have a wife and four kids and they all make a lot of sacrifices for me so I can pursue my passion for hurling.
“So, first and foremost, we have to make sure our families are safe from this virus and the players as well.
“The importance of the family to our lives couldn’t be any more to the fore than it has been this past week. Our first duty is to ourselves and our families. 
“In time we will resume training but we have to get our priorities right.
“The players will be driven on and they can do their ball sessions independently but collectively they won’t be doing anything ‘till it is deemed safe enough for all the players’ families and themselves.
“The lads can continue to work on their skills independently for as long as the player isn’t putting his own health or wellbeing or those of his family at risk.
“Hurling is the greatest sport in the world and incorporates a lot of technical skills which need to be practiced every day, in and out of season. 
“We have faith in the lads' commitment to continue to practise the skills on their own ‘till it is safe to re-commence collective training.”