How counties will shape their GAA championships for Covid-19 era

Cork is hoping to retain their new group stages in both codes.

Clubs and county teams across the country are waiting to get back in action. Picture: Matt Browne/Sportsfile

MUNSTER

Clare: September finals on the cards for both senior football and hurling championships. Previous structures commenced with groups but no decision made as of yet.

Cork: Like Tipperary, awaiting word from the Central Competitions Control Committee before finalising their championship restructures. Hoping to retain their new group stages in both codes.

Kerry: Club football championship to take place as per previous format in August and finish in October. Knock-out county championships to start in September and football final to take place October 4.

Limerick: Four groups of three in both senior football and hurling, hurling groups are seeded. Executive have said they will alternate codes every second week throughout club window.

Tipperary: Format to be decided but divisional aspect of senior county championships likely to be jettisoned and hurling finals at least set to take place in September.

Waterford: Seeded four groups of three in both senior football and hurling. SHC final confirmed for August 30. SFC to start in September and possibly conclude on October 4.

LEINSTER

Carlow: Expected to work off their existing group format. Small number of hurling clubs will make that code’s competition simpler.

Dublin: Have kept their powder dry but they could opt for a variation of the group formats they have had in place with clubs getting at least two championship outings.

Kildare: Format to be decided but has previously been round-robin to start with in the football championship. County finals set for September with league running late into the year.

Kilkenny: The competitions control committee were quick to confirm their SHC rejig — there will be four groups of three followed by knock-out matches. Dates to be confirmed.

Laois: Two rather than three emerging from senior hurling championship groups. Final is September 27. No change to Laois SFC but final may not be played until after Laois exit All-Ireland SFC.

Longford: Eleven teams across three groups made up the 2019 SFC with eight going into the knock-out stages. Could be implemented again in August and September.

Louth: Their championships are to be formated as usual, beginning in mid-August and finishing up in mid-September. League games will take place before and after.

Meath: Three round-robin games for each club in senior football and hurling followed by knock-out. Football deciders on October 3 and 4 and hurling finals a week later.

Offaly: Speculation that there will be two groups of four in each senior A code with top two in each going into semi-finals.

Westmeath: Football competition comprises top and lower seeded groups of six with six going into knock-outs. The SHC is composed of two groups of five. Both are in line for alterations.

Wicklow: Existing SFC involves two groups of six with table toppers entering semi-finals and second and third going into quarter-finals. Reformating likely required.

Wexford: August is set to be a predominantly hurling month, the final possibly taking place on August 23. The SFC is set to commence on hurling semi-finals weekend. Both begin with four groups of three.

CONNACHT

Galway: Senior hurling championship is set to take up seven weekends from August Bank Holiday, concluding in late September. Senior football competition to conclude a week earlier. Groups set to begin both.

Leitrim: The 2019 SFC involved 14 teams split into two groups with the top four in each advancing to the quarter-finals. That format is expected to be truncated.

Mayo: Hurling championship begins July 31 and football, based on 2019 system, the following weekend over a six-week basis. Senior football and hurling finals to take place no later than September 20.

Roscommon: The SFC began with groups of four last year and a version of that could be implemented beginning in August.

Sligo: The old SFC structure of eight from 10 team qualifying for the knock-out system was unwieldy as it was. Bound to be streamlined.

ULSTER

Antrim: Hurling championship is expected to run on the usual league basis, although the knock-out football championship may be altered to give each club a minimum of two or more games.

Armagh: Clubs will be proposed a knock-out format with the senior county football final pencilled in for September 20.

Cavan: SFC to begin on August 16, running on their 2019 structure, with senior final taking place on October 11.

Derry: Derry’s knockout championship has been a successful one in recent times although the county board executive have indicated changes.

Down: A minimum of two games has been provided to clubs in the SFC but there have been suggestions of a one-off knock-out competition complemented by league games.

Donegal: Initial talk of amalgamating the championship and league competitions but strong talk in recent days of returning to previous round-robin then knockout system.

Fermanagh: Indications that they will opt for a small round robin system filtering into a knock-out phase. To be applied in both codes.

Monaghan: SFC to be played over eight weekends. Two groups of five will comprise the senior football championship with knock-out and relegation stages thereafter.

Tyrone: Existing knock-out format to start on August 13 and 20 before concluding September 20. Leagues to take place in both months too.