Niall Deasy is enjoying some run of it.
The Clare inter-county hurler helped Ballyea to victory over Glen Rovers in the Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship Final, on November 20.
That is not the only final on Deasy’s radar, however.
This Sunday, he will line out for Parnell’s to play in Dublin’s Division 2 League Final, against Oliver Plunkett’s.
So how is a guy able to play league for one club side, in Dublin, and championship for his home side, in Clare? It had us flummoxed for a while until we looked into it.
In June of this year, Deasy, who works as a teacher, transferred to Parnell’s. He then turned out for the Dubliners in a league encounter.
Soon after, Deasy sought and was granted a transfer back to Ballyea in order for him to participate in the Clare championship. Ballyea have embarked on a successful run of it so that championship stint has extended.
Because of a loophole in the current GAA rules, Deasy is allowed see out the league campaign with Parnell’s AND compete in the championship with Ballyea.
On this week’s GAA Hour, host Colm Parkinson discussed the Deasy situation with John Fogarty of The Irish Examiner:
Parkinson: “He’s now able to play one final while he is waiting to play an All-Ireland Final with his other side in Clare. Isn’t that a crazy story?”
Fogarty: “It goes against the spirit of the GAA. Now, loopholes are there to be exploited. You see it all the time… We shouldn’t be surprised. I completely agreee with you though. It’s mad… It is going on across the country. There are guys, I know, playing for clubs in Dublin and Mayo.”
Fogarty feels there are many who have genuine cases, and who are not able to get back and forth for their club training sessions and matches. However, there are a handful using the rules to their advantage.
One life, one club.
That used to be the motto but the times appear to be changing.
Michael Lundy joins Wooly for a wide-ranging discussion that starts with a chat about Ger Loughnane, dodgy transfers and Davy Fitzgerald’s training methods. Subscribe here on iTunes.
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