‘Two-tier All-Ireland won’t solve problems’

Carlow football selector Turlough O’Brien has dismissed calls for a two-tier All-Ireland football championship.

Following the county’s 28-point hammering to Meath, The Sunday Game panellist Ciarán Whelan said “a two-tier system has to be introduced to give counties something to strive for because a lot of them don’t have a chance of winning a provincial title”.

Former Kerry footballer Tomás O Sé supported the suggestion, claiming “you can’t expect 31 counties to be competitive with each other. There are two tiers in Munster where Cork and Kerry are expected to come out every year”.

London, Wicklow, Louth, Waterford and Leitrim have all suffered comprehensive championship defeats this summer, though none as substantial as the trouncing endured by the Barrowsiders on Sunday.

O’Brien accepted the gap between teams at either end of the football ladder is forever widening, but does not believe a two-tier championship is the answer. He called on GAA chiefs to bring an end to the “uneven” provincial structures and introduce an open draw.

“Introducing a second tier will only further increase the gap,” he said.

“I don’t think there is an interest for it. The Tommy Murphy Cup was tried and there was no real interest in it. All counties would see themselves as having a right to play at the top level. You have to look at the scale of balances in terms of population. Dublin would have a bigger backroom team than we would panel. Results like yesterday feed into the second tier argument but I think it is knee-jerk.

“There is no question that the top tier teams are pulling away. A revamp of the current structure is needed more so than the introduction of a two-tier championship. The provincial system has proven to be outdated. It is absolute lunacy that there are seven teams in Connacht and 12 in Leinster and that you have to win more games in one to win the same prize.

“There are a lot of problems being stored up in the lower counties, counties who are suffering because of the current structures and uneven playing field. The Football Rules Committee could really have another look at the game. I would be in favour of an open draw where every county gets the same number of games.”

He added: “If Carlow put their best foot forward and were still getting these hammerings I would agree with Whelan, but we are not putting our best foot forward. We need our clubs and our county board to start singing off the one hymn sheet. We need to get our house in order.”

Carlow chairman Michael Meaney does not share O’Brien’s views: “I would be one of the ones that would support a two-tier structure. The winner of it [second tier] could perhaps find a way back into a quarter-final — something like that.”

Clare selector Paudie Kissane insists the ever-increasing gap is an issue that must be addressed.

“You see the results this year in the championship when Division 1 teams played Division 3 and 4 teams. There is a gap there, a big gap. Perhaps it is something to review at a later date. We had the Tommy Murphy Cup, but I am not sure if that is the answer.”