Parsons warns four Munster counties affected by seeding could potentially withdraw services

GPA chief Tom Parsons. Pic: Bryan Keane/Inpho

Gaelic Players Association chief Tom Parsons says the four Munster counties affected by seeding arrangements for 2026 feel 'blindsided' and 'disrespected' and believe that the move is 'opportunistic' and 'financial based'

The GPA CEO couldn't rule out 'deeply frustrated' players from Clare, Tipperary, Limerick and Waterford withdrawing their services at some point either, saying it is 'potentially in the pipeline'.

Parsons pointed to the example of Antrim refusing to play Armagh outside of their Corrigan Park base in this year's Ulster SFC, a row that came down to 'integrity' and 'fairness'.

The Munster Council plans to introduce a seeding arrangement for 2026 which would keep the two highest-ranked teams in National League terms, currently Kerry and Cork, on opposite sides of the semi-final draw.

Parsons said that, at the very least, the plan should be shelved for a year to give all Munster counties a clear understanding of what is at stake for them entering the 2026 National League.

And he queried whether the seeding move would require a Congress vote anyhow, on the basis that you are 'linking your competition to a national competition' and that, as a result, 'teams are approaching a national league differently'.

"I think that's a Congress vote and I did raise that," said Parsons. "If you're going to have seeding in one province, should you have seeding in another province? You could have a Division 3 and a Division 4 team in Sligo and Leitrim meet in a semi-final in Connacht. And three Division 1 teams beat eachother up on the other side.

"So I think it needs debate and fairness. Tom Ryan acknowledged that at the last Central Council meeting and we'll debate this. It was raised at Central Council.

"But for the GPA, I am concerned with the strength of the four teams in terms of their frustration on the point. What will happen in the coming weeks, we don't know."

Asked if the four panels may consider withdrawing their services, for events such as pre-season competition matches or promotional launches, Parsons shrugged.

"It is potentially in the pipeline," he said. "I don't know what is the will of the four counties yet. At the minute, they want to meet with the Munster Council in person and see where things are at.

"I would just encourage the Munster Council to at least pause this. At the very minimum, there should be a two-year run in so that teams can say, let's all approach the National Leagues in a way that gives us the opportunity to be seeded. Bringing this in in 2026, I think that was fundamentally just a wrong move.

"But to answer your question, I don't know, but I wouldn't be backing against the players' appetite to really address this."

Parsons said uncertainty generally around the 2026 calendar is a frustration with no date yet confirmed for inter-county teams to return to collective training.

Pre-season competitions look set to return for 2027 and, if these start in early January, the GAA would need to permit collective training considerably earlier than the December 7 date in 2024.

The GPA has consistently called for at least six-weeks of a lead in to competitive games, along with a Christmas break.

"The thoughts of returning to real gruelling pre-season training in November, I just don't think it's good mentally, physically or emotionally for the players," said ex-Mayo midfielder Parsons whose attempts to nail down a date at the recent Central Council meeting came to nought.

"For this year, the GPA had an agenda item for the last Central Council meeting to vote on two potential return to training dates. There was no vote taken."

A further complication is that some provincial councils may run competitions whilst others might not.

Parsons noted that if a motion to Congress proposing that the National League is the first competition of each year is passed, then pre-season competitions will be gone from 2027.

He said that where 2026 is concerned, 'it seems to be left in this gap between them being gone last year and a new structure proposal for next year. The GAA seem to have given grace to run them this year'.

On the separate proposal which will go to Congress suggesting that the inter-county season be extended from 2027 to allow for the All-Ireland SFC final in mid-August, there was a grudging acceptance from Parsons.

He said he would eventually like to push the start of the National Leagues back into mid-February, to 'claw back those two weeks for the All-Ireland finalists'.

But he also noted that a slightly longer season would allow for a gap week to avoid teams playing three league games in a row.

He said that players have identified this challenge as 'particularly gruelling on the body'.

Parsons said that confirming plans for 2026, and the pre-season, are now a matter of urgency.

"I'm working with the GAA to get this nailed in the next week or two. Players and management teams need certainty over what's happening."