All-Ireland round robin system to be retained for next season

The idea of introducing a third tier championship in Gaelic football has been parked for the time being. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

The current All-Ireland senior football championship structure has been kept for next season.

In a mammoth five-hour Central Council meeting in Croke Park on Saturday, delegates voted that the proposed new format, an enhanced qualifiers system, will not be introduced until 2026 if it is backed at Congress next year.

It means the much-maligned round-robin system, which allowed Derry and Roscommon to qualify for the knock-out stages this year despite losing three championship games, will be retained.

The status quo was supported by just 13% of counties in a recent questionnaire. A delegate from an Ulster county at the Ard Chomhairle meeting warned the GAA would be ridiculed for standing by a flawed structure but the leadership explained to introduce the new structure in 2025 would cause logistical issues.

The enhanced qualifier system, Option 1 as it was called, would see the last 16 consist of the eight provincial finalists on one side of the draw and the seven league qualifiers and Tailteann Cup winners on the other.

The last 16 winners would enter Round 2A where they would face off for All-Ireland quarter-final places. In the preliminary All-Ireland quarter-finals, the Round 2A losers would face the winners of Round 2B comprising the eight teams defeated in the last 16 fixtures.

Meanwhile, the idea of introducing a third tier championship in Gaelic football has been parked for the time being as feedback from the counties’ questionnaire indicated there was no appetite for a level below the Tailteann Cup at this moment in time.

Central Council also voted to endorse a motion to Congress next year that calls for All-Ireland finals level after normal time to go to replays. Clare beat Cork in July’s hurling decider after extra-time. If passed, it will be applied to the 2025 finals.

As also revealed by the Irish Examiner earlier this week, a plan to allow for provincial final replays from 2026 was also announced but it is dependent on the new SFC format being backed by delegates at Annual Congress next February.

Despite some counties calling for the pre-season competitions to be retained, a decision was taken to suspend them for 2025. As it stands, counties are allowed to return to collective training at the end of November but that will be reviewed and likely pushed into December.

The challenge by competitions control committees to amend Cork’s U20 eligibility motion was defeated. Fixture bodies felt the 60-hour window between a player lining out in both championships would tie their hands but arguments from Cork and Offaly were strong.

The Central Competitions Control Committee have also been empowered to dictate which of the Tailteann Cup or hurling quarter-finals should be on a Sunday in June.

GAA president Jarlath Burns announced he will be commissioning a sub-committee to look at the whole area of ticketing from pricing to their distribution. A presentation from GAA director general Tom Ryan revealed total attendances remain steady but the average per game has dropped as more fixtures have been played.

The overburdened Disputes Resolution Authority has also been split into two panels, a legal panel and a GAA one. The legal division comprises Hilary Delahunty (solicitor), Carl O'Mahony (solicitor), David Nohilly (solicitor), Bairbre O'Neill (senior counsel), Michael O'Sullivan (barrister-at-law), June Stapleton Burke (barrister-at-law), Frank Crean (barrister-at-law) and Pat Purcell (barrister-at-law). The GAA panel is made up of Joe Edwards (Antrim) and Shane Galligan (Cavan).