And so, just like that, the guts of a summer of matches, concerts, festivals and more was wiped out with the announcement that mass gatherings of more than 5,000 people have been banned until at least the end of August. And while everyone sees the need for such a measure, there is no escaping the fact that it is a hammer-blow for the GAA in particular while the League of Ireland does at least still retain some hope of restarting. Writing this morning, Seán Moran says that without matches the GAA is not the GAA. The traditional "soundbeat of the summer" – to use a well-worn phrase – has gone silent and its implications will be felt far and wide, not least in the coffers at GAA headquarters. Also writing on the subject this morning is Malachy Clerkin who writes that massed gatherings are who we are and losing them feels surreal. "Without them, we're not a "we" at all. We are just ourselves, ambling along in lives of small connections. And though the small ones are obviously the most important ones, we can't deny that it does the soul good to occasionally feel yourself in a maw of something bigger," he writes.
Moving to soccer and the FAI will seek clarification from the government over the next few days on the exact stipulations of the ban given that the League of Ireland may be able to resume with crowds limited below 5,000. "It gives us an opportunity with the League of Ireland clubs. That is a significant input now into the debate we will be having tomorrow with the National League Executive Committee because [a maximum attendance of] 5,000 could now be a level on which we could now resume the League of Ireland," said interim CEO Gary Owens last night. The clubs meet remotely this morning but it is not expected that there will be any real clarification until the government announce how they are to ease restrictions after May 5th, as they are expected to do. Meanwhile, in the UK, BeIN Sports are the latest party to speak up over the Saudi Arabian-backed takeover of Newcastle United, calling on the Premier League to block it on the grounds that Saudi Arabia is implicated in a priacy network which shows matches illegally. It follows on from Amnesty International's warning yesterday that the Premier League could end up "being a ptasy" in the deal.
In rugby, our favourite moments series continues this morning with Damian Cullen remembering November 12th 2011 when he and the rest of Thomond Park were struck dumb by Ronan O'Gara's drop goal after 41 phases against Northampton. "While spectators around me spent the last six minutes of the European Cup clash on their feet – shouting encouragement and blue murder – I was quiet. Calm. It has happened just a few times when big games come down to the wire. The emotion is almost too much, and I check out," he writes. Meanwhile, it was also confirmed last night that Sport Ireland will review the one-month suspension handed to James Cronin for an unintentional drugs violation.
In the NFL the big news overnight was that Rob Gronkowski has come out of retirement to link up with Tom Brady at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Gronkowski called it a day before the 2019 season but the 31-year-old has now reversed his decision to link up with his old teammate in Florida.
Finally, Ian O'Riordan writes that Gymnastics Ireland's set up leaves it a little more up in the air than other sports during the current shutdown while Rory McIlroy has joined the calls for the Ryder Cup to be postponed, saying that it would not work without fans.
