Format fine, but time to bring in the professionals

IT’S GETTING tiresome, all this talk about once again changing the format of the All-Ireland senior hurling championship.

In recent weeks, we’ve heard all the usual old suggestions dragged up; reverting to the way it was, going back to the original back-door (just the beaten provincial finalists getting a second chance), bringing in a modified system whereby teams get just one chance to lose, having two different qualifying groups and on and on and on.

And don’t forget the one about the Munster championship winners getting straight passage to the All-Ireland semi-final. Nonsense, all so much nonsense.