Gaelic Masters is what GAA is all about

As sporting weekends go, the few days just gone will take some beating this year.

Castlebar was the location of two big ones on Sunday, with the boxing at night following the entertaining joust between Mayo and Derry earlier in the day.

Beyond the west, there was the Six Nations clash between Ireland and Scotland at the Aviva Stadium while there was a plethora of GAA action and cross channel, Manchester United landed a knockout blow on old rivals Liverpool in a classic FA Cup tie at Old Trafford.

For me, a dank and dreary Saturday in Cavan was illuminated by some marvellous camaraderie on show at the Gaelic Masters Association’s international tests against Australia at the Denn GAA club.

With three matches across the afternoon - men’s over 40s and 50s and a ladies encounter as well - it was an action-packed day of action but the overrriding sense, even in the driving, miserable rain, was that it was such a unique occasion.

The week previously, the sides had met in the first tests, with Ireland comprehensive winners in all three matches.

I have written before of the wonderful work carried out by the Gaelic Masters Association, which is led by Mayo man John Pat Sheridan and includes many committed volunteers including another local from these parts in Sligo’s Con O’Meara. On Saturday, there were plenty of local connections with Michael Moyles managing the Irish ladies side to an impressive victory.

They have consistently tried to keep the game of Gaelic Football alive for those who have passed through their playing career at club or county level but still want to feed their competitive streak with some action on the field at a pace they can tolerate as the limbs age.

Saturday’s fare was, like the old Compromise Rules series, a mixture of AFL and Gaelic Football. Crucially, the matches were played with a Gaelic Football but the tackles were of the AFL variety. A goal counted for six points, a point was three and a wide - but not too wide - gave you a single point.

Most tellingly, the feedback from the association has been that the decision to run a ladies match as well generated a huge amount of interest. With an amalgamation of the three associations on the horizon - The GAA, the Camogie Association and the LGFA - it’s perhaps an indication of the wide-reaching potential of having everyone under the same banner.

The weather was, quite simply, atrocious. But the Aussies embraced the conditions with their customary gusto and even if the scoreline were heavily balanced in Ireland’s favour at the conclusion of each of the three games, the exchanges were largely competitive, particularly in the over 50s match, which Ireland won by a margin of only 11 points.

There were several big names dotted across the teams, with the Ireland ladies team including several high profile inter-county stars from yesteryear including the likes of Miriam Liston (Waterford), Noelle Earley (Kildare) and Mary Griffin (Laois).

On the men’s side of things, Jason Akermanis, best known for a lengthy stint at Brisbane Lions, was among the more prominent performers. More memorably to followers of GAA, Akermanis duelled on a number of occasions with Peter Canavan during the Compromise Rules Tests between Ireland and Australia in the early 2000s.

Even with Akermanis in their ranks, Australia failed to lay a glove on Ireland in the over 40s test with the home team producing a really impressive performance. They didn’t have any major stars, but it was a coherent effort from the hosts which included a remarkable tally of ten goals.

Saturday’s offering provided so many good insights into what is great about the GAA and about sport in general. In what other sphere would over 100 Australians descend on a club in rural Cavan and instantly become friends with their opponents on the field? Where else would you find the sense of camaraderie and fun, with no little competitiveness? It was evident on a number of occasions - there were some tasty tackles, but they were usually followed by a tap of the hand or a little bump on the shoulder to say all is ok in as many words.

In a wider sense, the Gaelic Masters Association continues to provide a very important outlet to GAA players who are sometimes forgotten about as their playing career concludes. For sure, there are other avenues to remain involved in the sport; many former footballers and hurlers turn to the world of administration and as many more get involved in the management and coaching side of things.

But there’s also room to cater for those who wish to continue to play on at some level. Yes, junior football can feed their demands to a point but the Masters level provides another element; a chance to play with those your own age, at your own pace and maybe even the chance to don the county jersey. However late it might be in your playing career, that is always an honour.

Physical and mental wellbeing is such a key component of our society now and with people staying fitter, for longer, it may no longer be such a stretch for more men and women to be capable of playing field sports at a decent level well into their 50s. That was on show in Cavan last weekend for sure, with the over-50s match offering plenty of incidences of robust physicality.

Gaelic Games has always embraced the idea of it being a place where everyone belongs. Recent developments for the Masters includes the use of GAA grounds, which has been a very welcome move and makes the organisation of their fixtures much easier. Clubs have opened their arms to the Masters matches and helped the competition develop.

This season, 26 county sides will participate in the All-Ireland series, which represents a huge increase on even five or six years ago. It’s reflective of the appetite, and demand, for competitive football for those over the age of 40.

To repeat the Gaelic Masters motto: ‘We don’t stop playing because we get old, we get old because we stop playing’.