GAA disrespecting players with expenses stance - Niall Morgan

Tyrone goalkeeper Niall Morgan has accused the GAA of 'disrespecting' inter-county panels in the ongoing expenses row.

The Gaelic Players Association is locked in a dispute with the association over its insistence that expenses for only four training sessions per week, for a maximum of 32 panellists, will be centrally subsidised.

The GAA says that extra sessions or extra players will have to be financed locally in agreement with the county board, a situation that the GPA says means some players are effectively being asked to pay to play.

In an open letter, GPA national executive committee member Morgan wrote: "I can tell you GAA hierarchy are not treating player number 33 on inter-county panels with any great deal of respect.

"Look at last week's Division 1 league final. By all accounts Mayo were carrying seven to eight injuries. GAA hierarchy have decided to cap squads at 32. If that was to be the case, Mayo could not have even filled a match-day squad of 26. They would also have been playing 12 on 12 in training in preparation for a national final. Disrespect to the players and the competition.

"Turn your attention to Kerry and see how the GAA hierarchy clapped when David Clifford graciously thanked the ten players who had not made the match day squad in his speech when collecting the cup. Four of those players fall outside of what that same GAA hierarchy recognise as the golden 32. They can fend for themselves, not our responsibility, County Boards go figure it out!. Is that showing respect?

"Although we did not make the league final we, in Tyrone, had similar issues throughout the league with 10 or more players not training on some nights. How could we have prepared for serious intercountry fixtures should the panel have