Leading hurling counties favouring seven-team Division 1

Mayo are the current Allianz League champions.

There are early indications that leading hurling counties are in favour of a seven-team Allianz Division 1 from 2025.

The format, which would see two team relegated to a seven-team second tier and two promoted from that section, is gaining support from traditional counties.

Central Council will vote on the options put forward by Central Competitions Control Committee before Christmas with finishing position in next year’s competition determining which new divisions counties enter in 2025.

Should the seven-team divisions get the go-ahead, the top three teams in each of Division 1 Group A and B will qualify for the new top flight. They will be joined by the winner of a play-off between the two fourth-placed sides. It means at least three counties that currently play in the Liam MacCarthy would play in the second octet.

The first option is to return to the pre-2020 version whereby Division 1A will comprise the six best teams, those who finish in the top three positions in each of 2024’s Group A and B. As before, the Division 1B winners would enter the semi-finals along with the best three finishers in the elite group.

Donal O'Sullivan of Kerry during the Allianz Football League Division 1 match between Donegal and Kerry at MacCumhaill Park.

The second option involves a seeded 12-team Division 1 split into first, second and third tiers based on 2024 league placings. Each county would face two games against their own seeds as well as two against counties in both of the other two tiers, six matches in total. The best two sides at the end of the six rounds contest the league final.

The top two in both 2024 sections would become first seeds followed by the next two in each as second seeds and so on.

Meanwhile, Wexford have extended their naming rights deal for Wexford Park with Chadwicks until the end of 2027 The four-year agreement, which will see the DIY company invest €110,000 into improving GAA facilities and games development, was confirmed this week.

Chadwicks Wexford Park earlier this year debuted its floodlights and it is hoped that their senior hurlers will play at least one evening game there in their Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Group A campaign in 2024.

Wexford are joined in the six-team group by Clare, Cork, Kilkenny, Offaly and Waterford.