‘B’ championship looks a runner

The GAA is in line to vote next year on adding a “B” competition to the All-Ireland senior football championship, president Aogán Ó Fearghail has indicated.

Croke Park this week wrote to all counties asking them to put forward any recommendations they believe would make the championship more equitable for weaker teams.

It followed Ó Fearghail’s address to Central Council last Saturday week where he encouraged debate on the issue.

It is Ó Fearghail’s belief that Division 4 teams upon losing in their provincial championships should enter the “B” competition. Such a mechanism was in place for the Tommy Murphy Cup before it was eventually axed.

However, Ó Fearghail is inclined to favour the idea of the winners of the section being rewarded with a place in the All-Ireland SFC proper.

He detects no appetite for change among counties to the provincial structure but senses from weaker counties that they need something more tangible to aim for in the championship.

“I think all counties like to play that first game in the provincial championship. But should they (if they lose it) go on ahead as they do now into the qualifier some of the counties feel they should. But I personally don’t feel they should. I would favour a second tier competition for them. I think if you play your provincial championship, are beaten and come from Division 4 in the league going onto the qualifiers as they are currently structured isn’t a good idea. I think you would be better to go into (another) competition.

“When I say that most counties come back to me and say they agree with me, they’re happy with that, but they would still like a route back into the Sam Maguire and they’re right. So we’re looking at that. We’re looking to see if we can have a situation where a county like Longford, a Division 4 team, gets beaten in the Leinster championship can go on and take part in a second tier competition, win it perhaps and then have a route back into the Sam Maguire.

“We’re examining that among other proposals that are coming back from counties. But the main focus should always be on the championship itself and the championship itself is good and it’s strong. I would always believe the speed of a fleet shouldn’t never be determined by the slowest ship in that fleet. So it’s important for us to help the counties that are struggling but never pull back the counties that are absolutely flying and most of the successful counties are flying.”

In finalising any motion for Congress in Carlow next year, Ó Fearghail will take on board the lessons learned from the erstwhile Tommy Murphy Cup. “It did not last because players felt it was a secondary competition. But the reason for that I’m told — I don’t know — was that they felt they were being sidelined and that they had no route back in (to the top tier). But I think there could be a route back in for them.”

Once more linking the National League and the championship also has its merits, says Ó Fearghail.

“People have sometimes been talking about football recently at inter-county level as if the only thing that matters is the championship. I’m very well aware of some counties who are now doing well because they had a plan, they had a structure. They sat down and said by year one they would (achieve something) and by year two... it always involves the league. You have to improve your league performance.

“It’s a fact that in Leinster next year we will only have Dublin playing in Division 1 (this year too). That has to be an indictment for the other (Leinster) counties. They must improve their league performances.

“It’s wrong to focus totally on championship particularly if you’re in a county with limited resources and hasn’t been doing well.

“You have to take longer term/medium term view and improving league performances is a very big aspect of it because the correlation between league performances and success in championship is very close.”

Bernard Brogan is against the idea of providing Dublin with a bye into the Leinster semi-final should they again win the province this year. He believes any championship restructure must provide counties more games.

“Well, I wouldn’t be in favour because that’s just one less game! I’ve been saying give us more games – I wouldn’t be saying give us less games. Dublin fans want to come out and watch the Dubs play; you don’t want to have fewer games. ”

Meanwhile, Ó Fearghail admits Sunday week’s championship programme featuring six football games, including the two Munster semi-finals and two Leinster quarter-finals, is too much.

“Should there be six games on one day and nothing the previous day? No, there shouldn’t, absolutely not.”