Scrap Division 1 quarter-finals, says Tipp chairman

Tipperary chairman John Devane suggests the GAA do away with Division 1 quarter-finals in the Allianz Hurling League to try and alleviate the annual fixtures pile-up.

As the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) yesterday chose to delay making a decision on when to reschedule the outstanding Galway-Tipperary and Limerick-Waterford games, Devane says something has to give after the schedule has been impacted for a third year in a row.

As part of the new Division 1 structure this year, the second-placed team in Group A will face off against the county that finishes third in Group B and vice versa in the quarter-finals with the winners joining the table-toppers in the semi-finals.

In the previous format, the CCCC recommended the four quarter-finals be abolished only for the counties to insist on them being retained. Devane believes not only would their absence free up a weekend but they do little for the competition.

“I don’t think quarter-finals are necessary. We’re playing so many games, five round games and we’re playing a round robin league format in the provincial championship as well.

I don’t think there is room for quarter-finals. That might mean less meaningful games if you get rid of them, especially if you have lost a couple of times but I don’t know if you gain a lot with them there.

“The weather is unbelievably bad but this is the third year in a row that this has happened because of the weather. The room for manoeuvre is not there when you have five league games, a quarter-final, a semi-final and a final from the end of January until the end of March. There isn’t little or no scope or leeway when that schedule is upset.”

So as to be fair to Cork and Westmeath, the CCCC could yet arrange the two postponed matches for the weekend after next so that all final round matches are fixed instead on March 9, the weekend on which the quarter-finals were initially set to take place.

However, Devane highlights counties already have arrangements for that weekend when in Group A Tipperary travel to Waterford, Cork go to Galway and Limerick entertain Westmeath. “Teams would have put plans for those games to go ahead that weekend.”

Tipperary have lost both of their opening games but should they win through to a Division 1 final expected to be rescheduled a week later championship fixtures arranged for the last weekend in March will be affected.

“That’s how tight the schedule is,” says the former county competitions control committee chairman.

Meanwhile, Tipperary look set to oppose the introduction of the black card to hurling. Although Devane states the board won’t make any decision until they meet next week, there are already indications they will not support it.

We have fellas unhappy about it in football never mind it coming into hurling but we will talk about it next week.

The Cork hurlers will wear a special black jersey against Limerick in Páirc Uí Chaoimh this Sunday to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the deaths of Tomás Mac Curtain and Terence MacSwiney.

Prominent figures in the War of Independence, Mac Curtain was murdered by the Royal Irish Constabulary two days after becoming Lord Mayor of Cork.

His successor MacSwiney died in prison following a 74-day hunger strike.

The special kit will also acknowledge the centenary anniversary of the Burning of Cork and the Kilmichael Ambush. Cork’s footballers will wear the jersey when they face Derry in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday week.

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