With April now set aside for club GAA action, county championships around the country have kicked into gear.

Obviously, given that the vast majority of players are club players, this is a good thing, though the start of the provincial championships next month will mean that games at club level will be parked for much of the summer.

In the midst of all of this, it’s easy to overlook the challenges for those lucky enough to be representing their counties – having had national league action until the end of March, they must recalibrate for club games now and then focus on the county again once May is here.

Wexford’s Liam Óg McGovern is one of those in that boat, but he is at least thankful that the Model County is proactive in squeezing in club games in April.

With St Anne’s Rathangan, McGovern has already played two senior football championship games over the past two weekends, while this Saturday they get their hurling campaign going against St Martin’s, before a clash with Ferns St Aidan’s next weekend.

Schedule

The schedule in Wexford is a little more hectic that most McGovern says: “It’s a strong dual county and most players would play both – I’d say 99% of the hurling squad are playing football with their clubs too. Most clubs get four games in over the month, which is fairly good going, I’d say we’d nearly be market leaders in that regard.

“I do think you need a minimum of three games to justify giving over a month to club games. If you only played one match in that time, it’s hard for the club players who have been training since January, they get a game and then have to have another break.

“In Wexford, getting four games in might not be ideal but it is one of the better models.”

Of course, trying to integrate with clubmates isn’t easy, all the more so for McGovern, who works in Dublin with software company Oracle.

“It is difficult,” he says.

“During the early part of the year, you’re with the county so you’re not really able to train with the club.

“Being based in Dublin makes it tougher too, I’d be back at the weekends but there’s county involvement, so you’re almost just going straight into it in April.

“There are two ways of looking at that. I love playing with the club, they’re the lads I grew up with and went to school with and I’d have considered some of the older players to be my idols when I was younger.

“I really do enjoy going back and playing with them, but the other side of that is that most county players are central to their club teams and you’re in a situation where you haven’t played together much before the start of the championship.

“No matter what team it is, you’re going to benefit from more time rehearsing and training with each other, it can be a bit awkward without that. I’d have high expectations of myself to do well and the club would too, so you are under pressure to perform straight away.”

In that regard, it is probably easier for McGovern as a county hurler that the football games are scheduled first.

“It does help, definitely,” he says.

“In our club, it’s probably about 80% of the same players across both codes and often you have the same management too.

“So, while it might be a different code, you’re still getting the benefits from just playing together and re-familiarising yourself with fellas’ styles of play.”

Wexford operates a two-group system before teams progress to the quarter-finals. This means nearly all teams will have two games played before the inter county activity kicks in again, though the resumption date after that is unknown, as it is elsewhere, with almost everything depending on how the county team does.

“Generally, the championship gets going again when both teams get knocked out,” McGovern says, so it can vary.

“To be fair, if there was a gap of three weeks or so during the inter county season, say maybe around the end of June, they might throw a game in.”

Fixtures debate

Trying to satisfy two conflicting needs is something that no county has been able to solve just yet. Last week, Cork clubs voted on proposals for a championship format to be used from 2020 onwards, one of which involved clubs playing through the summer without county players for some championship games.

While not in favour, McGovern was at least pleased that a debate was had.

“I’d commend Cork for speaking with the players and clubs and allowing them to have a real say,” he says.

“It’s important to have all points of view heard, but I think, in terms of that proposal, I’d want to play with my club and I presume most county players would think the same.

“I don’t see why players should be penalised for their hard work and ambition and, similarly for clubs, they wouldn’t be seeing the fruits of their labour.

“There was no harm in debating it, though. There was a lot of negative coverage around that option but it was good that Cork had that discussion.”

With five teams in the Leinster hurling championship, Wexford are the side not in action on the opening weekend, with a trip to Dublin a week later their first outing.

That extra time to prepare is welcomed, given the quick turnaround time after Davy Fitzgerald’s squad convenes again.

“We would have done a light session in the first week of April before having three weeks off when we went back to the clubs,” McGovern says.

“You come back in May then and its not long until the championship. There are probably arguments that you’d need more time together before the first Leinster game, but it’s hard to know.

“You just trust that you’ve enough done during the league.”

Indeed, if anything, McGovern – twice a victim of cruciate ligament injuries – has to make sure that he’s not doing too much.

“Load is a big thing,” he says, “and I think awareness and management of that have improved over the last few years.

“As you get a bit older and wiser, you learn to know your body and what’s best for you, when to not train, you’re no use to anybody if you’re being pulled left, right and centre.

“Given my history, I definitely have to manage my load carefully.”