The football and hurling club championships are take pride of place around the country in October and November as county champions are crowned and provincial championships progress.
Every year though, stories of clubs having to play twice on the one weekend occur. Writing in his Irish Independent column, Off the Ball's Colm Parkinson this week spoke about how in Laois, his former club Portlaoise had to play twice in 24 hours.
"The Laois county final wasn't played until October 18 when Portlaoise drew with Emo. The replay was fixed for the following Saturday because the winners were required to fulfil a Leinster club fixture the next day against the Carlow champions, Palatine.
Laois were knocked out of the inter-county qualifiers in embarrassing fashion by Antrim in Portlaoise. That game took place on June 20.
The Laois County Board had 17 weekends to play with, from June 20 until the county final on October 18. Despite this, a replay in the final resulted in Portlaoise players playing two championship games in 24 hours. Portlaoise only needed to play five rounds to reach the final. Emo lost their first game and needed six rounds to reach the final."
Colm spoke with Ger on last night's Off the Ball about his column and how the GAA need to treat club players better. He paid particular emphasis on the Dublin and Laois Championships.
In Dublin "club players are only guaranteed one game" according to Colm and he thinks all counties should play a minimum of three championship games every year.
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