Leinster Schools GAA competitions ruled out
Leinster Schools GAA competitions will not be played this term, it has been confirmed.
In an email sent to all schools recently, Leinster Schools officer Noel Delaney explained that no competitions will be played in football or hurling for the rest of the school term.
"With Level 5 restrictions in place until April and school games only possible when in Level 2, the window to play and complete competitions just will not be there.
"We know this decision will come as a great disappointment to all those hoping for Post-Primary Schools GAA activity but the decision has been made and communicated at this time in order to bring greater clarity to the situation, especially for those students preparing for State examinations," wrote Mr Delaney.
"We will revisit, however, whether it might be possible to offer anything by way of a games outlet after Easter. Should the opportunity arise to have some limited activity around Junior Cycles in particular, every effort will be then made to do so. It is an unfortunate situation but that is the grip Covid is having on society at this time."
The decision means Leinster Schools senior football 'A' champions St Joseph's, Rochfortbridge will not have the chance to defend their title in 2021.
Under the management of former Westmeath boss Luke Dempsey, St Joseph's defeated Naas CBS in the 2020 final last July, the first major GAA fixture following the first Covid-enforced lockdown.
There was no All-Ireland series played for the Hogan Cup last year, but the Rochfortbridge boys still had the satisfaction of lifting the Bro. Bosco Cup for the first time in the school's history.
St Joseph's victory last year saw them become the first Westmeath school to win the Leinster Schools SF 'A' crown since Athlone Community College did so in 2008.
In total, six Westmeath schools have won this title - the others being Carmelite College (Moate), Franciscan College (Multyfarnham), Coláiste Mhuire (formerly St Mary's CBS) and St Finian’s (both Mullingar).
Marist College, Athlone have contested five Leinster senior finals, while Moate Community School reached the decider in 2017.
The Leinster Post-Primary Schools Competitions Control Committee (CCC) thanked teachers and coaches for "their understanding" and acknowledged their efforts in "preparing school teams for competitions under very challenging conditions this year".
"While competitions are not now going ahead, we feel the work done with teams has been very beneficial and brought some degree of normality for students in what is anything but a normal year! Finally, I wish you a safe return to the classroom in the coming weeks and hopefully in the coming months, we will see a return to activities as we once knew them," added Mr Delaney in his email to schools.