Munster SFC could be restructured for next season

Kerry players, including captain Gavin White, 7, with the trophy after victory in the Munster SFC final. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

A restructuring of the Munster senior football championship could be on the agenda for next season.

The current format, which seeds the previous year’s finalists and has been in place since 2015, might be up for debate in the coming months.

As things stand, Clare and Kerry will receive semi-final draws for the third time in a row. Since the 2023 draw, they have yet to paired against each other at the last-four stage but there remains that possibility.

In 2014, Cork and Kerry were kept apart and there is a belief in some provincial quarters that measure should return seeing as Cork are a long-standing Division 2 team and their neighbours’ closest rivals.

By the time 2026 comes around, it will be five years since Cork and Kerry contested a Munster final. In the three of the four seasons since 2021, they have come out on the same side of the draw as Kerry and lost to them at the semi-final stage, the latest last month's epic clash in SuperValu in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Eleven years ago, Clare, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford threatened a boycott of the championship if Cork and Kerry continued to be seeded. Their stance forced the council to change tact and since 2015 Cork and Kerry have met in five finals and four semi-finals.

In his match programme notes last Sunday, Munster chairman Tim Murphy indicated something may change. “It is incumbent on us as a provincial council to review and consider what we can do better to further enhance Gaelic football as a spectacle within Munster and create the conditions and structures necessary to improve and enhance the game for players and spectators alike.

“We will be discussing this and working on what we can do to achieve the best possible outcome over the coming weeks and months.” 

In his 2023 report, Munster GAA chief executive Kieran Leddy said the provincial SFC had to improve. “The Senior Football Championship has been gasping for air in recent years as more often than not, it has lived in the shadow of its hurling counterpart in terms of attendances, viewing figures and public attention.

“Apart from Tipperary’s spectacular win in 2020, the Munster competition has an all too predictable outcome and it badly needs Corcaigh in particular to begin mounting a serious challenge for the title once more.”  

Meanwhile, Armagh have named Ben Crealey and Conor Turbitt in their team to face Donegal in Saturday’s Ulster SFC final. They are set to replace Tomás McCormack and Connaire Mackin who are named on the bench. Louth have announced the same side that beat Kildare for their Leinster SFC final against Meath on Sunday.

ARMAGH (SFC v Donegal): E. Rafferty; P. Burns, B. McCambridge, P. McGrane; R. McQuillan, G. McCabe, J. Burns; C. O’Neill, B. Crealey; D. McMullan, R. Grugan, O. Conaty; C. Turbitt, A. Murnin, O. O’Neill. Subs: B. Hughes, A. Forker (c), T. McCormack, C. Mackin, J. Duffy, N. Grimley, S. McPartlan, C. McConville, T. Kelly, S. Campbell, J. Hall.

LOUTH (SFC v Meath): N. McDonnell; D. Nally, D. Campbell, D. McKenny; C. McKeever, P. Lynch, C. Lennon; T. Durnin, A. McDonnell; P. Matthews, C. Downey, C. Grimes; K. McArdle, S. Mulroy (c), R. Burns. Subs: T. Markey, L. Jackson, A. Williams, E. Carolan, C. Byrne, D. McDonnell, D. Corcoran, C. Brannigan, C. Keenan, D. McKeown, E. Duffy.

DUBLIN (SHC v Antrim): E. Gibbons; J. Bellew, P. Smyth, C. McHugh; P. Doyle, C. Crummey (c), A. Dunphy; C. Burke, C. Donohoe; B. Hayes, C. O’Sullivan, D. Power; S. Curroe, J. Hetherton, R. Hayes. Subs: S. Brennan, D. Burke, C. Currie, P. Dunleavy, A.J. Murphy, D. Lucey, J. Madden, R. McBride, I. Ó hEithir, C. Ó Riain, F. Hartley.

KERRY (SHC v Laois): L. Dee; K. O’Connor, F. McCarthy, D. Kearney; D. Shanahan, K. Goulding, R. Walsh; P. O’Connor, A. Segal; T. Doyle, D. Casey, L. Crowley; R. Mahony, O. Maunsell (c), S. Nolan. Subs: D. Quirke, S. McGrath, K. Hayes, T. Casey, L. Rochford, J. McKenna, T. Godley, E. Leen, S. Foran, N. Mulcahy, S. Brosnan.