International Rules looks certain to get the thumbs down

The death-knell for the much-maligned International Rules could toll on Saturday as the majority of counties are set to vote against its continuation.

Central Council will vote on the hybrid game as part of the list of Football Review Committee (FRC) structural proposals put forward in a white paper.

Its chairman Eugene McGee has conceded their support for the series is likely to be defeated when delegates vote on it in two days’ time.

Cork and Kerry are among several counties who are against the International Rules staying the course, and McGee admitted: “Anything I’ve heard from counties about the International Rules is that they’re against it. I’ll imagine there will be a majority against it and if they are on Saturday that will be that.”

The FRC report states: “The majority of our best players continue to support the concept and deem it as a huge honour to represent their country. As this competition provides the only opportunity for our top players to represent their country in a meaningful competition we recommend it should be continued.”

However, McGee hasn’t been campaigning for this part of the FRC report, as he and fellow committee members were for the playing rules section of it last year. “We won’t be at it,” he said of Saturday’s meeting. “It’s not of our business, really. It’s a matter for Central Council now.”

The FRC’s Championship blueprint, turning the provinces into four conferences of eight after the opening rounds in Leinster and Ulster, is also expected to be shot down.

GAA president-elect Aogán Ó Fearghail is not convinced by the proposal as are a number of counties such as Cork, Mayo and the majority of Ulster.

McGee is satisfied that the idea has at least stirred debate about the structure of Gaelic football’s premier competition.

“The only thing we have done is put in print for the first time the possibility of changing it into four eights and the rewards are there for doing so in terms of fixtures. Assuming they don’t back it on Saturday, it’s still in print and there for someone else to take the next step.”

Where there is likely to be success for the FRC is in their recommendation to finish the All-Ireland Club championships in the calendar year as opposed to the current system where semi-finals and the final are played in the following February and March.

“Finishing the club championship in the one year seems to be popular,” he said. “It’s hard to oppose it.”