MacCarthy Cup set for another reshuffle

The GAA All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship may face its eighth change in 13 years if delegates at next month's GAA Congress in Newcastle, Co Down decide to overturn a vote taken at Special Congress last October.

Just five months ago, a decision was reached at GAA's Special Congress to relegate one county from this year's Liam MacCarthy Cup tier, but amazingly that format may not be put into practice when delegates are asked to support a no-demotion format for the next three years.

Should the motion be adopted it could mean that as many as 16 counties will be competing for the Liam MacCarthy Cup in 2013.

Some 12 counties took part in hurling's top-tier Championship last year, and following a row over relegation it was agreed that relegation finalists Antrim and Wexford would stay in the top tier for this year.

Following their success in the Christy Ring Cup, Carlow were promoted - leaving 13 counties in contention for top honours in 2010.

Subsequent to this, Special Congress ruled that the format would revert to a 12-team structure at the end of this year's Championship. However, the new proposals not only ignore this but also ensure there is no forced relegation.

With the Christy Ring Cup winners promoted to Liam MacCarthy Cup level it will leave the second tier weakened. It is currently occupied by seven counties, with Down, Kildare, Meath, Westmeath, Wicklow, Kerry and Mayo contesting the competition this year.

Meanwhile, other Congress proposals include scrapping the All-Ireland Intermediate and Junior Championships and ending the system where the beaten provincial minor football finalists are readmitted into the All-Ireland race at the quarter-final stage.

There is also a proposal to cut the number of Congress delegates from smaller counties from four to two, though this is likely to be met with strong opposition.

Meanwhile, a Central Fixtures Planning Committee may also be in the pipeline for the GAA. There is a proposal to form the committee and also write its functions and responsibilities into the GAA rule book.

The eight-person body would take responsibility for planning, monitoring and reviewing national fixtures programmes; working with existing bodies to produce three-year fixtures schedules and also overseeing the appointment of similar planners at provincial and county level.