No intercounty pre-season tournaments in 2024

While the main focus from a GAA perspective is on the club championships, there has been some surprised expressed at the dropping of the pre-season tournaments on the inter-county front. Central council announced last week that the likes of the O'Byrne cup, Dr Mc Kenna cup and FBD league would not be held in 2025 with a review to see if they would return in 2026. The competitions were often seen as an opportunity for management teams to run their eye over the extended panel or indeed for any new managers coming in to get to know their players. GAA coach Diarmuid Scullion expressed his surprise at the dropping of the tournaments and remarked that counties and in particular management teams will have to now plan differently for the start of the national league