INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP:THE FUTURE of the interprovincial series once again remains in doubt following one of the worst attended finals in recent years in Portlaoise on Saturday evening.

It has prompted Connacht manager John O'Mahony to call for the competition to be binned or given a proper status.

O'Mahony was critical of the GAA for failing to avoid a clash between the finals and the Australian Compromise Rules tour.

He said it was also clashing with some of the main club fixtures. "The GAA were not helping the competition when it directly clashes with the Australian Compromise Rules tour.

"While an international cap is welcome and the bonds with Australia are important the Railway Cup is suffering.

"This year it has been very badly hit because players are gone abroad playing a game that isn't even Gaelic football. The Railway Cup is in limbo at the moment. Something should be done to either save it or get rid of it."

Once regarded as the most important medal to have in your possession after a senior championship, the Railway Cup interprovincial competition thrived in the '30s, '40s, '50s and '60s when thousands attended the matches.

Efforts to revive the competition, which was traditionally played on St Patrick's Day, have failed despite changing times and venues.

The advent of the club championship sparked the decline of attendance at the Railway Cup but it now seems the GAA might be ready to rid itself of a championship that is costing too much and is attracting the crowds in sufficient numbers.

O'Mahony said the only preparation he and his Connacht team had was one training session before the semi-final against Leinster. "We didn't even know when the final would be played until after the semi-final," he said.

O'Mahony said players had plans made, Padraic Joyce being an example, and the Galway player's huge influence in the semi-final was unavailable for last Saturday night's final.

"Joe Bergin had to come on as a sub on Saturday night and that man had already played in an important club fixture earlier in the afternoon. One of our coaching staff stopped for petrol in Portlaoise where nobody seemed aware that the finals were being played up the road."

O'Mahony also rejected the notion the top players don't want to know about the Railway Cup. "They will play in it if it is given a proper status but at the moment it is in limbo."

O'Mahony said former Armagh manager Joe Kernan had come up with a good suggestion which might save the competition. Kernan said the Railway Cup should be run in conjunction with the club championship, holding the hurling finals in Thurles on St Patrick's Day and the football final along with the club championship final in Croke Park the same day.

"At least let us have some serious debate on the issue, without the managers, as they don't listen to us anyway," said O'Mahony.