Carlow, Laois, and Longford to oppose tier-two plan

Carlow, Laois, and Longford will vote against the proposed second-tier football championship at Special Congress this Saturday.

Officials from the counties, following board meetings this week, have been mandated to oppose the Central Council motion to introduce a Tier 2 competition in 2020.

Carlow, Laois, and Longford join Tipperary and Offaly who last week revealed they would not be supporting the proposal to split the championship in half.

The motion requires 60% majority backing this weekend, but the growing number of counties opposed to Croke Park’s second-tier model means that figure may not be hit.

Cavan, London, Westmeath, and Wexford, meanwhile, have confirmed to the Irish Examiner they will vote in favour of the proposed second-tier championship.

Meath, the same as Cork and Kerry, have not adopted a set voting position and will instead decide on the day after listening to the various arguments put forward.

Carlow football manager Turlough O’Brien has been vehement in his opposition to an extra championship layer being rushed into existence and although there wasn’t unanimous resistance to a Tier 2 competition at the recent meetings of the Carlow County Board and executive, the majority view was in keeping with that of O’Brien.

If a second tier is voted through on Saturday, O’Brien’s charges, because of their current Division 4 status, will need to bridge a 76-year gap to Carlow’s most recent Leinster SFC final appearance to remain in the Sam Maguire Cup next summer.

“We just feel the proposal is somewhat rushed, as would be the general feeling across the board,” said a Carlow County Board official.

“The board wouldn’t be fully against the concept of a Tier 2, per se. We can see the merit in a Tier 2 competition.

"But given our experience of the Tier 2 hurling competitions, the actual benefits that are being mooted with regard to this proposed second-tier football championship would need to be fleshed out a bit more, and that encompasses television coverage and the commercial aspect of it.”

This was a sentiment which also prevailed at the Longford County Board meeting.

At the Westmeath County Board meeting, by way of contrast, there was five-to-one support for the Central Council motion.

Although promoted out of Division 3 this year, failure to hold onto their Division 2 league status next spring could see the Lake County wind up in a Tier 2 competition, if passed.

Nine counties, in total, have indicated to this paper their support for a second tier.

They are Cavan, London, Leitrim, Limerick, Sligo, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, and Wicklow.

Louth and Fermanagh will decide their voting intentions this evening, while Galway are leaving it as late as Friday to dicuss the motion.