Club bye plan welcomed but Ulster doubts remain

Three of the four provincial chairmen have backed the GAA calendar year workgroup’s call to provide All-Ireland semi-finalists with byes in the irrespective code’s provincial club championships.

The committee propose to facilitate counties with longer championship runs by making the provincial club draws in August, thereby allowing their club champions enter the competition after the preliminary round stages. Leinster already operate a form of what’s being forwarded but Ulster’s Martin McAlivney has questioned the need for seeding.

“We have yet to discuss it at committee or council level yet but if we get the structures and the calendar right we won’t need byes,” said the Monaghan native, whose province practice an open draw in both of their club and county championships.