GAA’s CCCC call for current Sam Maguire Cup round-robin format to be retained 

Fixtures body also want to cut extra-time from All-Ireland finals next year

Armagh captain Aidan Forker lifts the Sam Maguire Cup  Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

The Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) are proposing the current Sam Maguire and Tailteann Cup formats be kept for next year despite only 13% of counties supporting its retention.

In feedback to the CCCC, 58% of counties supported an enhanced qualifier system which the fixtures body recommended as an alternative to the status quo. It is also understood the majority of players are in favour of the new structure which features winners and losers’ rounds in both football championships.

In a briefing on Wednesday evening, the CCCC informed counties they are now calling for the All-Ireland SFC round-robin stages to remain for one final season for logistical reasons.

Due to counties having put plans in place for next year, the CCCC will argue to Central Council on Saturday that a vote on changing the All-Ireland SFC be taken at February’s Annual Congress to come into force in 2026.

As counties like Galway have booked their flights for a Connacht SFC opener in New York next April and Cork look to finalise concerts for SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh in 2025, it is felt that the most sensible course of action is to stick with the current structure.

That format, which has been in place the last two years, was roundly criticised this past summer as Derry and Roscommon qualified for the knock-out stages (the last 12 of the championship) having lost three matches. Monaghan also made the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals on the back of one win in four outings.

There had been strong support for a new system, which would have seen the last 16 break into winners and losers’ groups. The victors of the winners’ side of the draw (Round 2A) would enter the All-Ireland quarter-finals with the four beaten Round 2A counties meeting the winners of the last 16 losers’ round (Round 2B) in preliminary quarter-finals.

Central Council delegates in Croke Park on Saturday could still chose to back that for 2025 instead of ’26 thus shooting down the CCCC’s recommendation. That would mean the enhanced qualifier system will require backing from Special Congress on November 30.

The CCCC are also proposing that from 2026 there is the facility for provincial final replays. The last three Ulster SFC finals have been level at the end of normal time and been decided in either extra-time, as was the case in 2022 when Derry beat Donegal, and the last two seasons when Armagh lost out to Derry and Donegal respectively.

Following strong lobbying from counties such as Cork, the CCCC are recommending that Central Council allow for All-Ireland finals from next year to go to replays if the sides can’t be separated at the end of normal time. Clare defeated Cork after extra-time in this year’s SHC decider. Next February’s Annual Congress would have to support that motion to come into effect in 2025.

Also being considered is removing the stipulation that the Tailteann Cup semi-finals have to be played on a Sunday. This year, the All-Ireland SHC quarter-finals were staged on a Saturday the same weekend as the last four of football’s secondary championship.

An 11th hour attempt by GAA president Jarlath Burns to flip the hurling games to the Sunday narrowly failed to receive the required 60% support at an emergency meeting of Central Council.

Burns is now hoping that counties will ditch the pre-season competitions. The Gaelic Players Association have long called for the January fixtures to be culled. If there is backing for the disbandment on Saturday, inter-county players will not be permitted to return to training collectively until December. The current return date is November 24.