GAA's split-season continues to divide opinion

Brendan Behan reportedly once quipped that the first item on the agenda for an Irish political organisation was 'the split'.

And the GAA's split-season has certainly been much debated since Kerry's All-Ireland football final win over Galway a fortnight brought the curtain down on the inter-county season at a novelly early time of year.

So far, much of the discourse has followed a familiar pattern: pundits bemoaning the fact that the association are surrendering the late summer spotlight to soccer and players pointing out that they actually quite like knowing when their club games will happen.

Speaking to RTÉ Sport last week, Wexford hurling captain Lee Chin said he was in favour of the new system.

"I like focusing on one thing at a time, whether it be county or club," he said.

"There are a couple of months now at the end of the year that players can maybe avail of to get themselves right for the following year.

"I think that's important that that time is allocated for guys to do what they want to do in other aspects of their life."

Dónal Óg Cusack makes a passionate plea for more "oxygen" to be pumped into the sport of hurling #RTEgaa pic.twitter.com/zXJYdZsUQE

Kilkenny talisman TJ Reid has a different view however. He thinks delaying the club championships until the inter-county season could cause players to drift away from the game.

"I don't like it," he said. "It’s unfair for inter-county players and unfair for club players to wait seven or eight months before they have any important game.

"This was meant to be about the club lads but Ballyhale players have had to wait seven or eight months before they played their first meaningful game.

"It's grand for inter-county players training with matches coming up but club lads hanging