The supporters won’t have a clue who’s who or who’s playing where.
Here’s the Dublin team that was named on Friday evening to take on Galway on Sunday.
We will have live score updates here from Pearse Stadium, throw-in at 2pm! 👐 #UpTheDubs pic.twitter.com/8B3nazyqt6
— Dublin GAA (@DubGAAOfficial) March 18, 2018
In fairness, at this stage, we’re all coming to terms with this recent trend in the modern game. Managers name their teams of a Thursday or Friday night but we know it’s only a token gesture really.
More often than not, by the time the game rolls around at the weekend, there will be a number of last minute changes before the referee blows his whistle for the first time.
Dublin are big culprits but they’re not out on their own. Jim Gavin’s pre-named teams are about as reliable as the wifi connection in McDonalds.
For this game, that proved to be the case yet again with only Michael Fitzsimons, Ciaran Kilkenny and Michael Darragh MacAuley manning the positions they were named to play in.
Four personnel changes took place, with Evan Comerford in for Clexton, Philly McMahon in for Brian Fenton, Ciaran Reddin in for Niall Scully and Paddy Small in for Brian Howard.
Here was the team that took to the Pearse Stadium field at 2.00.
Dubs lineout –
16. Evan comerford
2. Mick Fitzsimons
20. Philly McMahon
3. David Byrne
4. Eric Lowndes
7. John Small
5. Jonny Cooper
6. James McCarthy
9. Michael D. Macauley
25. Ciarán Reddin
11. Ciarán Kilkenny
15. Colm Basquel
14. Dean Rock
26. Paddy Small
13. Paddy Andrews— Dublin GAA (@DubGAAOfficial) March 18, 2018
Dublin weren’t the only team at it. Mayo’s team to play Tyrone contained three changes at the 11th hour. Donegal had late changes on their team to play Monaghan.
Meanwhile, in Fermanagh, they PA couldn’t even announce the Armagh team because they weren’t provided with it.
Man on the PA at Brewster Park: "The Armagh team we're not sure of as their management refused to furnish us with it" #GAA
— Cahair O'Kane (@CahairOKane1) March 18, 2018
You’d have to wonder what the logic behind these last minute moves are. Players are put into an awkward situation. Just imagine it, a lad is named in the programme to start. He’s told in training that he’s on the bench but he’ll have to remain tight lipped about that when speaking to family and friends so as not to break team code.
And seeing as it’s becoming such a habit now, it’s not as if it’s going to stun the opposition when number 25 and 27 trot out instead of 15 and 7.
It’s pointless and it doesn’t really help anyone.
Supporters in the stands will struggle to analyse games because they don’t know what position players are playing in, reducing their enjoyment of the spectacle.
On top of that match programmes are being undermined with false information coming their way.
#GAA match programmes around the country again being undermined either by an antiquated team announcement practice or managers who don’t want to give the (home) opposition their information. Squad lists would do more to promote the games than this charade.
— John Fogarty (@JohnFogartyIrl) March 18, 2018
Maybe it would all make more sense if players were given squad numbers for a whole year. At least then, programme makers wouldn’t be speculating off lousy thin air.
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