Run provincial championships alongside All-Ireland series like FA Cup, says Paul Mannion

The Dublin sharpshooter picked up another Leinster medal on Sunday.

Mon, 13 May, 2024 - 13:00

Paul Keane

Dublin attacker Paul Mannion, fresh off his ninth Leinster SFC title success, reckons the GAA should run the provincial championships alongside the All-Ireland series in a revised format.

Last year's All-Ireland final man of the match feels the current Championship format is 'strange' and says that while the GAA has embraced change in recent years, it needs to go significantly further.

His suggestion is that the GAA breaks from its 'sequential' schedule, where competitions are run off one after the other, and moves to a situation where two or more competitions are run 'concurrently'.

This could potentially mirror soccer in the UK where the FA and League Cups are run off whilst league competitions remain the principal focus.

"I saw someone mention recently that the provincial championships could be run throughout the year, across the season, as part of the All-Ireland group stages or something like that," said Mannion who was speaking as part of SuperValu's #CommunityIncludesEveryone campaign.

"We have a tendency to think everything has to be run sequentially in the GAA. Other sports don't do that. They run competitions concurrently all the time.

"So I think that's probably a solution. Moving the provincial championships possibly earlier in the year as well. Who knows? It just feels like the league is definitely a really competitive competition, lots of great games between the top teams and I think we just need to build a Championship now that has that same excitement factor and intrigue. It's going to take another couple of tweaks before we get there."

Mannion lined out in Dublin's 1-19 to 2-12 Leinster final defeat of Louth yesterday, a game that attracted just 23,113, leaving Croke Park almost three quarters empty and lacking atmosphere.

Leinster Council chairman Derek Kent stated in his programme notes that dwindling attendances represent a 'red flag' for provincial officials and promised a review of everything from ticket prices to venues.

Kent also claimed that too many games in too short a timeframe is 'hindering the promotion of our games'.

From Mannion's perspective, the changes that have been made to the football championship in recent years haven't gone far enough.

"For years in the early part of my career, I was crying out for change because I felt we did need more games," said the Kilmacud Crokes attacker.

"More big games with top teams (were required) so I was actually very happy when they did change it. It's a credit to the GAA that they do at least listen and try to change.

"I don't think they have got it right in its current format. But I'm sure it will change again.

"That's all you can ask of any governing body in any sport, that they're listening to feedback and continuously trying to improve it.

"It started with the Super 8s, it was tweaked again for its current format. I don't think it will stay the way it is now. I don't think it's really exciting and pleasing fans and teams and managers.

"I think the (extra) games is definitely a positive. But just the format itself is strange. The timeline is strange. I think a lot of that needs to be changed."

Mannion said that winning a Leinster title now is 'not something we would celebrate too hard' with the All-Ireland series beginning for the holders in under a fortnight.

"In times gone by, you definitely would have been able to celebrate it (winning Leinster) a second day," he said, noting that Dublin's players went out together on Sunday night. "The condensed season now, with another big game coming up in two weeks, doesn't allow for that.

"It's a milestone in the season for us now, not something we would celebrate too hard. Moreso just focused now on drawing a line in the sand getting ready for the All-Ireland group stage."