Second-tier All-Ireland Football Championship imminent

The introduction of a second tier All-Ireland senior football championship following the provincial competitions is on the cards if the proposals up for debate are anything to go by.

A “B” competition is recommended in 14 of the 18 potential reformats sent to counties to debate before Central Council decide next month whether a motion will go forward to Congress in February with a mind to having it passed for the 2017 season. A strong majority of the suggested revamps also back linking the league positions with the championship.

Also included in the “Football Championship Proposals - Towards 2017 and Beyond” document sent out by Croke Park last week are Carlow’s championship blueprint, calling for a seeded qualifier system based on the previous year’s provincial and league standings, and the GPA’s plan to incorporate a Champions League-style structure following the provincial championships.