Darren Hughes remembers going to a GAA congress as an U21 delegate. The Monaghan footballer was dismayed by the high age profile of a room 'set in their ways'. Hughes believes that the Championship calendar as it stands should be scrapped. At the very least, moving the All-Ireland football final to August is a 'no brainer'. Those individuals he witnessed at that GAA congress have much to do with the glacial movements of the association in terms of major Championship restructure.
At the heart of Hughes's concerns are local clubs and players. Club players enduring long waits for their county championships to begin regularly leads to teams hemorrhaging numbers to the US during the summer. Hughes, who was speaking at the launch of eir Sport's Allianz Leagues coverage, says he could not begrudge individuals the chance to spend a summer in the US - 'It's a great opportunity, a great experience and I suppose the cash incentive too.'
Hughes himself had the opportunity a number of years ago to spend three months playing in the US. Ultimately, he turned it down due to commitments at home, including the family farm.
I was booked on a plane to Philadelphia with Rory Woods. I got home and I settled myself and I decided against it. I suppose it was for the better of the club at the time, I felt that we needed to push on.
It was back in '08. It was the only opportunity I really had to go at that stage. I was working at home. I was farming at home. I would have been leaving that for 12 weeks or whatever it was going to be.
I did commit to it for a couple of hours but pulled out of it. Once you get over 25 or 26, the phone calls stop coming. It never interested me after that. In the younger years, I had that opportunity but wasn't able to fulfill it.
Along with his father, Hughes farms over 100 acres in Ballinode just outside Scotstown. He feels the life of a farmer is one which suits being an inter-county footballer. He pities the players who spend their day sitting at an office desk before heading to training.
I think it makes it easier. I'm my own boss. I take pity on the boys sitting in the office and then have to hop into the car and then drive down the road to training. I can prepare myself accordingly and I have Dad at home to help me.
People think that it's tougher on you but I do as I please. If I can't do something one day, I'll do it the next day. If I don't do it that day, I'll do it the day after.
I run my own ship and I've got no one telling me what to do. In my eyes I have it easier than the boys sitting in the office all day.
Dublin’s Ciaran Kilkenny and Monaghan’s Darren Hughes were in Dublin today to announce details of eir Sport's expanded coverage of the 2017 Allianz Leagues. eir Sport will broadcast a total of 23 live games, an increase from the 17 which have previously been broadcast. eir Sport will also be the first Irish broadcaster to show three live games simultaneously with the overall coverage including five live triple headers.
Photo credit: INPHO/Morgan Treacy
