The GAA announced the postponement of Galway vs New York’s Connacht championship opener due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The clash between Padraic Joyce’s Galway and Gerry Fox’s New York was due scheduled to take place at Gaelic Park in New York on May 3.
All GAA activity has been suspended until March 29, although the current condition of Ireland would suggest this suspension will last long beyond this date.
In a statement, the GAA said, "The future for this fixture will be considered at a later date and in the context of the anticipated overall re-drawing of the national fixtures calendar for 2020 as necessitated by the ongoing disruption to the GAA games program."
Read more: New York GAA fixtures canceled
Galway last’s stateside involvement in the Connacht championship came in May 2015, and the Tribesmen defeated New York 2-18 to 0-8 on that day.
New York GAA chairperson Joan Henchy issued a letter last week confirming the postponement.
“We understand everyone’s disappointed at this time, however, this decision is for the best. We will continue to keep our communication channels up to date and informed. Again, we encourage all members to continue to follow the guidelines provided by the health authorities,” Henchy said.
“With everything going on, please stay strong. Our community will have better days ahead.”
Henchy has strongly encouraged younger members of the New York GAA to take all necessary precautions, even though they aren’t easy.
“We know this is very difficult for our younger members, but trust it will pass and we will have better days. But for it to pass we have to work together. Use FaceTime, video chats, etc. to interact with your friends. Please keep to the social distancing, hand washing guidelines in place. (Think of it like a playing rule. We are sin-binned for a while.) We will be back stronger than ever,” she said.
There is no word on when the New York GAA might begin its season given that New York is the epicenter of the coronavirus. One competition that has already been canceled is the annual Continental Youth Championships (CYC) which had been scheduled for San Francisco later this year.
“Based on the ever-changing situation within the U.S., the CYC Steering Committee has consulted with Croke Park to discuss the feasibility of proceeding with CYC 2020 in San Francisco. After careful consideration, we have made the decision to cancel CYC 2020. This was not an easy decision, but I believe it is in the best interests of our GAA families,” said Paul Mulcaire, chairperson of the CYC.
“The pandemic is predicted to last into the summer and may continue to disrupt school, employment, and travel in the months ahead. While CYC is always the highlight of the summer for many families, it may not be something they can begin to plan for while struggling with the issues related to COVID-19. We will greatly miss seeing the players, parents, and officials who participate in CYC each year, but we will set our sights on weathering the pandemic and then planning for CYC 2021 in Chicago.”
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