Backroom teams play a major role

They are the unsung heroes. The people behind the scenes who do essential, but understated work most of which goes unnoticed. Unhearlded.

They are the members of the backroom team, the supporting cast, that is now part of any GAA production, at club and especially at inter-county level - and they were out in force last weekend as the GAA season continues to swing back into action.

They were certainly there in numbers at Kinnegad on Saturday when Meath took on Westmeath in the National Camogie League Div 2.

The players were on the field doing what they do during the game, but on the sideline was a group of people with their specific roles.

In the Meath backroom camp is coach Mark McManus. There is strength & conditioning coach Gordon McBaird - or Gordon Ward as many in GAA circles know him - as well as selectors Edward O'Riordan and Aoife Maguire.

Also involved in preparing the players for action on a weekly basis is Maria Kealy, the performance coach and Emma Fitzpatrick the physio, who had a busy afternoon against Westmeath as a number of players went down with knocks in what was a fiercely-fought, physical encounter.

Another member of the backroom staff is Aileen Coyle the Players' Liaison Officer.

She too was playing her part in ensuring everything was ready for the team before and after the game in a Kinnegad.

"I was asked to come in last year with Brendan and Mark. If the girls have any issues they can come to me on the side and we will try and find a solution to whatever issue they have," she said shortly before Saturday's game got underway.

"These days having a backroom team is so important for a team's hopes. It takes more than just one or two people to run a team.

"It's so important the girls can communicate their concerns to ensure everyone is happy because anything we can do for them we will.

"It's very important for the overall welfare and morale of the team to have a number of people they can look towards for support and advice."

Helping out the backroom team on Sunday were two of the younger members of the playing squad, Jessica Potterton and Maire Kirby.

They set up the table on the side of the pitch containing the water bottles and the high-energy bites for the players. Another important task that makes up the match-day routine.

On Sunday it was the turn of the footballers to bring their own supporting cast to Pairc Tailteann for the Ladies National Football League Div 2A clash with Kerry.

This year manager Eamon Murray is assisted by his selectors Paul Garrigan, Paddy Dowling and Shane Wall - but there are others too who have their specific roles in getting the team finely-tuned for the battle ahead.

People such as forwards coach Mark Brennan, strength & conditioning coach Eugene Eivers, Covid-19 officer Mary O'Shaughnessy, Players' Liaison Officer Michelle Grimes and physio Hayley Clarke.

Time was when a Gaelic football, hurling or camogie team was composed of the players and little else.

There would have been a 'trainer' or a manager as he or she became known and a couple of selectors. That was about it.

The medical-related work, back in those uncomplicated days, was usually left to one of the selectors who might not even have a kit bag in his possession, but merely a bottle of water.

When a player got injured the selector sprinted onto the field and administered restorative measures which invariably consisted of dousing the afflicted player with the contents of the bottle which was then refilled ASAP. The water was the cure for all ills.

Now it's different. Now the players are only part of a large cohort of people who make up any set-up, particularly at inter-county level. That's the way it has to be.

"Ladies football is gone very much like the men's game in that you need a large backroom team and to reach the next level you need all these people in place," said Meath Ladies Co Board chairman Colm McManus.

"You can see the difference in the players over the last few years doing the strength and conditioning, their fitness is top class.

"The reality is if you want to improve you have to have knowledgeable people in the backroom staff and that's what we want to do.

"To have motivated, qualified people in place so that we can continue to improve and hopefully get to an All-Ireland senior final in the next three years. That's the aim."

Unsung heroes they might be, but they certainly have roles to play in the modern GAA.