The backlash to the historic decision to allocate grants to inter-county players is already being felt with an open meeting to canvass opinion on the deal set to take place in Toome, Co. Antrim on Wednesday night, December 5. An email being circulated by the organisers describes the agreement between the Government, Irish Sports Council, GAA and GPA as an "absolutely seismic shift in GAA policy" and adds: "if you're concerned about this whole issue, please come along." Former Armagh player Barry O'Hagan, who now works as Sports Development Officer for Derry City Council, will chair the meeting at the The Elk Entertainment Complex, while it's understood that former GAA president Peter Quinn and former GAA Trustee Jimmy Treacy may also attend. One of the organisers, Mark Conway, makes no secret of his opposition to the grants scheme which will see inter-county players pocket up to EUR2,500 each per year. "This meeting is just to test the water because, in the circles I move in, there is huge concern about this. The firm belief is that, no matter what anyone calls it, this is 'pay for play'," he said. "Fellas are going to get money because they play Gaelic football or hurling at a particular level, and on that basis of other things they will do in return. "It's elitist as well, it divides the GAA in two. There will now be the GAA volunteer, who's supposed to do everything for nothing. People like me did that for 123 years - that gave us what we have now. "Now apparently, some people think that around 1,800 elite inter-county players will be paid money to do what they do. "Meanwhile, everyone else should continue to do what they do for nothing. Not only that, it seems the unpaid volunteers will be expected to administer the paying of the money to these players." Tweet

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