Waterford football manager Paul Shankey would like to see the McGrath Cup reinstated for 2025.
Central Council voted to suspend pre-season competitions for one year at a meeting last weekend. The Meath man feels that these games are important for teams in the lower divisions. The Déise lifted the McGrath Cup in 2015.
"It came out of left field," Shankey told WLR's Lár Na Páirce show. "I don't understand that one. For counties like ourselves, it's great to get competitive matches in preparation for the league. I think that was the feedback from counties in the lower divisions. All these counties will be arranging challenge matches. Last year, it was great to see as many players as possible against Clare and Cork. It was brilliant. Now, we'll have organised challenge matches. I'm not quite sure what's the point of it. There was some nice revenue for McKenna Cup matches and FBD matches. Why are we turning this down when these teams will be going ahead and organising challenge matches? That's a strange one. I don't see the value in it, I don't see the point in it. I'd honestly like it to be reversed if possible."
The loss of the McGrath Cup makes preparation for Division 4 a lot more difficult. "We're not a magnet for challenge games off top inter county teams," he admits. "These were games pencilled into the calendar so it was great for us because you need two competitive matches. Next year, it makes less sense because you would have had two matches to practice the new rules. Don't get the logic of that one."
Hear more from Paul Shankey on Lár Na Páirce from 6.10.
