A wake-up call for GAA when September ends

On Saturday, GAA director general Páraic Duffy indicated that not only the All-Ireland football semi-finals could be played over the same weekend, but the football and hurling deciders might be played on successive Sundays at the end of August.

The same could happen to the hurling semi-finals but then it may be felt that too much tradition has already been forsaken.

We have also heard the three rounds of the “Super 8” series, which replace the All-Ireland quarter-finals, will take place over 15 days, ie three weekends.

It has been mooted that the semi-finals could be scheduled for the following weekend but asking teams to play four significant championship games in four weekends may be a stretch.

Just as September finals will be a thing of the past at least from 2018 to 2020, so too will provincial finals in July, unless there are replays.

Instead, July could be a month comprising the final round of football qualifiers, the “Super 8” matches and possibly the All-Ireland hurling quarter and semi-finals.

Bear in mind also that the new U20 All-Ireland championship will run concurrently alongside the senior competition as the U21 hurling championship already does with its “older brother”.

A rule in the GAA’s Official Guide states the All-Ireland championships can’t start earlier than the third weekend in May, although Central Council have the power to change that on the basis of CCCC recommendations of which there will now be plenty such as commencing the provinces in early May or even late April.

Whatever is on the cards, it’s going to be quite the undertaking for GAA director of games administration and player welfare and CCCC chairman George Cartwright.

Keeping everyone happy won’t be a priority. It can’t be; there are enough disgruntled as it is.