Tiered All-Ireland senior football championship a step closer
A tiered All-Ireland senior football championship moved closer at the weekend with a Central Council decision to advance two proposals to Special Congress in Cork on October 19.
As well as deciding the fate of the experimental football rules, delegates in Páirc Uí Chaoimh will be asked to vote on two restructures. If one is successful, it will come into effect for next year’s competition.
Proposal A features the retention of the provincial championships as they stand with the qualifiers being reduced from four rounds to two as only Division 1 and 2 teams may enter them unless any Division 3 or 4 team has qualified for their provincial final. The second tier championship for Division 3 and 4 teams is a straight knock-out for those counties in the lower two divisions that do not reach their provincial deciders.
The competition could yet be formatted on a geographical basis so that there are northern and southern conferences in the first round, quarter-finals and semi-finals to make it easier for teams and supporters to travel. It is also envisaged that the semi-finals would be the only senior inter-county GAA events on that respective weekend barring a major replay.
Proposal B is similar to A except in the event a Division 3 or 4 county reaches their provincial final - then the lowest ranked Division 2 team takes their spot. It is not explained, though, what would happen should more than one Division 3 or 4 team qualify for a provincial final.
This motion would also see an initial round of games create a winners’ and a losers’ group, which would provide the beaten counties with an avenue back into the competition. In short, it would work out as eight teams v eight teams in Round 1; the four Round 1 winners v the other four Round 1 winners in Round 2A; the four Round 1 losers v the other four Round 1 losers in Round 2B; the four Round 2B winners v the four Round 2A losers in Round 3; and the four Round 2A winners v the four Round 3 winners in the quarter-finals.
The winners of the second tier championship would earn an automatic spot in the following year’s All-Ireland Sam Maguire Championship regardless of where they finish in the Allianz League.
The tiered championship would also be marketed and promoted strongly, with a dedicated All-Star selection and tour. The second tier final would also take place at Croke Park.
Counties will now have an opportunity to discuss the motions at their monthly meetings before the final wording is confirmed at September’s Central Congress meeting.
Meanwhile, Central Council have agreed to take the advice of their central fixtures planning committee and bring forward the All-Ireland senior clubs finals from March 17 to a new date in January from 2020.
From next year, the senior semi-finals in hurling and football will be played across the weekend of January 4/5. Both finals will now be played on Sunday, January 19.
Anthony Daly reviews the hurling weekend with Brian Hogan, TJ Ryan and Ger Cunningham. In association with Renault - car partners of the GAA.
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