O’Dwyer wants Tommy Murphy Cup revived

Managerial legend and former Tommy Murphy Cup winning boss Mick O’Dwyer has called for the competition to be revived for weaker teams.

GAA President Liam O’Neill stated recently that the competition which ran for five seasons between 2004 and 2008 was ended “prematurely”.

Reports have suggested the idea of reviving it, or a similar ‘B’ championship, may be raised at Saturday’s Central Council gathering.

Kerry man O’Dwyer said he would favour the return of the Tommy Murphy Cup though under slightly different terms.

He was in charge of Wicklow when they won the competition in 2007 and reached the decider in 2008.

The tournament was comprised of Division 4 teams who entered the alternative Championship immediately after losing in their province.

“The Tommy Murphy Cup should be brought back,” said O’Dwyer.

“But it should be brought back for teams that lose either a first or second-round qualifier. Let them have their full go in the real Championship first of all. Then reorganise them. Every county in Ireland should have a go at the real Championship.”

O’Neill admitted in the wake of Carlow’s recent seven goal thrashing by Meath that “there is no huge incentive for them to train for the qualifiers”.

O’Neill said: “I think the Tommy Murphy Cup was probably done away with prematurely.”

Some critics of the Tommy Murphy Cup, last won by Antrim in 2008, claimed the tournament winners should have been returned to the Championship proper, to provide a strong incentive to compete.

Saturday’s Central Council meeting will definitely deal with the latest recommendations of the Football Review Committee.

The FRC’s second round of proposals includes a realignment of the provincial championships so that there are eight teams in each province.