GAA says play on as other sporting bodies cancel all matches ahead of Storm Isha

The GAA have come under fire across social media for not rescheduling the football and hurling Senior Club Championships despite serious wind and weather warnings due to Storm Isha.

A number of other sporting bodies have cancelled fixtures across the country after Met Éireann issued Red and Orange Wind Warnings ahead of Storm Isha.

Both club finals are to go ahead at Croke Park this Sunday, January 21, with the senior hurling final between St Thomas's of Galway and Kilkenny's O'Loughlin Gaels scheduled for 1.30pm and the football final, between St Brigid's of Roscommon and Glen of Derry, set for 3.30pm.

This will be the second time this month that club fixtures have gone on despite extreme weather, with the football semi-final between Glen and Kilmacud Crokes taking place in almost impossibly foggy conditions on January 8.

The GAA have come under severe criticism on social media this Sunday in wake of their decision to go ahead, with many citing player and spectator safety as reasons to cancel.

Terrible luck that the 4 best club teams in the country this year have to play the finals in a storm

— Smaller Fish GAA (@SmallerFishGAA) January 21, 2024

Derrick Lynch, a sports journalist for Clare FM posted on X(formerly Twitter) calling the decision to go ahead "madness".

"The GAA has to consider the safety of everyone concerned with tomorrow’s fixtures. A week of a postponement for the All Ireland club finals wouldn’t be a major imposition would it?" he posted.

Shane Curran, ambassador at Setanta College also echoed these concerns, citing the "danger to life warnings [for] Storm Isha coming from UK media".

"[The GAA] need to consider the safety of all and make a call on postponing game," he shared.

Meanwhile the Co-op Superstores Munster Hurling League clash between Limerick and Cork has been postponed for the third time, due to poor pitch conditions at Mick Neville Park in Rathkeale, county Limerick, after heavy rainfall on Saturday night.

Other sporting bodies have cancelled all fixtures scheduled for Sunday.

Leinster Rugby have called off "all club rugby in Leinster (men, women and youth rugby), due to the severe weather warnings issued by Met Éireann".

Munster Rugby issued a similar statement on Saturday night, postponing all domestic fixtures, while Connacht have cancelled a highly-anticipated Connacht Junior Cup quarter-final meeting between Ballinrobe and Castlebar, along with their U-16 Girls Division 1 League final and the U-18 Boys Division 2 final.