The hiding that Sligo gave New York in the Connacht Championship last week did nothing for Gaelic football or its reputation in America.

It has been clear for some years now that New York simply does not have the firepower to match up with the increasingly professional-like teams that come from Ireland.

Getting hammered year after year – although New York once almost defeated Leitrim -- is no way to encourage the game to grow here.

Perhaps New York should be allowed the pick of players from across America to play, making it a team truly representative of the United States.

Sure, it is a wonderful day out once a year at Gaelic Park when the Connacht side arrives, but a more competitive game and a better advertisement for the GAA in America is badly needed.

So let’s have the pick of San Francisco, Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia vie with the best in New York for a true All-America team.

That would make things far more interesting.