John Fogarty: Football format needs to be leaner and meaner

With the benefit of hindsight, avoiding dead rubbers wasn’t a sufficient reason to reward 75% of each group with knock-out qualification

TEETHING TROUBLES: Dessie Farrell says the new championship format is taking some getting used to. Pic: INPHO/James Crombie

The promo for the third round of the Sam Maguire Cup the weekend after next writes itself.

“GAA’s Super Saturday and Sunday arrives on June 17 and 18 as 15 of the 16 teams in the All-Ireland group stages fight it out for knock-out places in the final round. None of the four All-Ireland quarter-final places have been filled and seven of the slots in last 12 are up for grabs. In one football championship weekend, never before has so much been on the line for so many.”