It's the third of June and it still feels surreal that we haven't seen a second of the 2020 GAA championship played yet. But with the news on coronavirus remaining positive on the whole, more details are beginning to emerge about the GAA's plan to emerge out of the coronavirus crisis.
The word from GAA HQ has always been that club would come first, with intercounty action on hold until at least October. Club GAA activity is formally on hold until July 20, when Ireland enters Phase 4 of the lockdown release.
Writing on RTE.ie this morning, Damien Lawlor writes that plans are afoot that could see a 'revised and compacted Championships' launched at early as the end of July, ie once Ireland enters Phase 4:
Meanwhile, there has also been huge optimism within the GAA and around the country that activity of some shape can slowly resume with county boards planning revised and compacted Championships which could start at the end of July.
This now looks likely to happen - provided it is safe to do so - but the re-emergence from lockdown will bring with it several demands.
These matches will all take place behind closed doors, obviously.
There are many logistical and administrative issues that county boards will have to deal with before it will be possible to stage training sessions and matches, and all the plans are contingent on public health advice from Ireland's medical experts and the continued fall in cases of Covid-19.
Lawlor reports that some of this specific detail around the return of the Club Championship could emerge next Monday June 8, when Ireland hopes to move to Phase 2 of its reopening.
