Central Council withdraws All-Ireland 'B' championship motion

By John Fogarty

The GAA’s Central Council have chosen to withdraw their motion proposing an All-Ireland “B” championship be introduced next year.

The second tier competition, which would have involved the eight Division 4 teams as per the end of the 2016 Allianz League, was destined to fail after it was widely expected it would be opposed by the current Division 4 counties among several others.

The GPA, who stated players from weaker counties would boycott it were it to be introduced, yesterday called on delegates to oppose the recommendation.

Instead of going into the qualifiers upon failing to reach their respective provincial finals, the Division 4 sides would have entered their own competition with the winners earning an automatic place in the backdoor the following season.

The only way a Division 4 county could have avoided the “B” championship would have been to qualify for a provincial final.

Foreseeing the motion’s doom and in what is something of an embarrassment for Central Council, the committee has elected not to put it forward for consideration at Congress in Tullow, Co Carlow.

GAA president Aogán Ó Fearghail has admitted the motion had not received sufficient support.

"When you look at all of that, there was no appetite for change whatsoever. The only area it was felt that would be improved was that a county playing in Division 4 would play in the provincial championships but if they were beaten in that they would have a competition that they could realistically win.

"But I accept fully that there isn’t an appetite among the Division 4 counties for it. That is clear."

It means delegates will now vote on two motions to alter the All-Ireland senior football championship.

Carlow are calling for a seeded system to come into operation for the qualifiers whereby weaker counties will face off in the first round before they play a higher graded team in round two.

Roscommon want the All-Ireland championship split into two groups of eight with the top eight comprising the eight provincial finalists and the eight best placed teams in the National League.

The successful motion will require two-thirds support from delegates to come into rule.