Cooney believes qualifiers will continue in current format

GAA President Christy Cooney believes that the All-Ireland SFC qualifiers will continue in their current format, and has expressed his delight at the progress of counties such as Wicklow whom he believes have benefited hugely from the system.

Speaking in Killarney last night at a special gathering for all of Kerry's surviving senior football goalkeepers, Cooney said: "I think it will remain the same because players and county boards, and managements put in so much time and effort into training now - that would have previously been knocked out after one game, after putting in so much time and effort.

"By giving them a second bite at the cherry, and a second opportunity to come back into the Championship it is very important."

Cooney added: "I think it's very much worthwhile and it's happening nearly in every county now (in their own club championships) that there is a second opportunity for teams if they are beaten, or it is run on a league basis.

"We want to keep our players active and that's very important and it has worked extremely well."

Cooney feels that the qualifier system can only be good for Gaelic games and pointed to the extended run by the Wicklow footballers this year as an example of the benefits of the current structure.

"I was in Wicklow last week and they were still talking about the fabulous run through the qualifiers this year.

"Of course former Kerry superstar 'Micko' had a lot to do with that.

"The qualifiers have done a lot for teams like that, given them an opportunity to play more Championship games and have given a lot of encouragement to young people within that county."

But former Kerry goalkeeper Declan O'Keeffe, who himself saw the qualifier system in operation as a player in 2001 and 2002, believes that the current qualifier structure devalues the provincial system.

"It gives teams a second chance, but definitely devalues the provincial championship," he said.

"It's a problem we are seeing - maybe not in Munster, but in Connacht where the value of winning a provincial title for teams is now gone.

"I remember playing against Cork pre-2001 and it was all or nothing. If you were beaten by Cork you had no more football from the middle of July - but having said that it is positive that the likes of Wicklow get their chance."

O'Keeffe also believes that the qualifier system has a negative impact on the staging of club championships throughout the country.

"It's a whole other debate about clubs. I'd say there hasn't been a Championship game played in this county (Kerry) for a couple of months.

"That's a problem as well on the other side of it, on a local basis."