Spring date for Interpros

The 2013 M Donnelly Interprovincial Hurling and Football Championships will be run off next spring, the GAA has confirmed.

It is good news for supporters of the competitions that were traditionally known as the Railway Cups. No match dates have been scheduled as of yet.

The Interpros have had their fair share of detractors in recent years, with some insisting that the event has lost its relevance in the GAA calendar with dwindling attendances and a lack of media attention.

However, some of its backers, including former Armagh All-Ireland winning manager Joe Kernan, feel that the Association could do a lot more in terms of promoting the games, getting bums on seats and above all ensuring a prominent billing in the yearly fixtures list.

The GAA took a step towards this by setting up a discussion group to present suggestions on how best to manage the Interpros. They presented their findings to a Central Council meeting over the weekend.

Last year’s Interpros were squeezed in during a busy period of Allianz League and AIB Club Championship action.

The hurling and football semi-finals were held on the same day, February 19.

Ulster overcame Munster a week later to take the football honours and Leinster then saw off Connacht in the hurling decider on March 4.

Kernan has suggested that the GAA marry two of their most historically colourful competitions together, the Interpros and the AIB Club Championships, on a trial basis.

He would like to see the Interpro football final and the Club SFC final on the same billing at Croke Park on St. Patrick’s Day, with the equivalent hurling ties taking place as a double header at Semple Stadium.