Jarlath Burns backs August All-Ireland finals in 2027 and return for provincial final replays

The GAA president said that Croke Park is not available in August of 2026 but supports the All-Ireland finals being played on the first and third weeks of August from 2027 on. 

GAA president Jarlath Burns said he is "very much in favour of replays where at all possible". Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

GAA president Jarlath Burns has given his support to provincial final replays from next year and All-Ireland finals moving to August in 2027.

Burns confirmed Croke Park is unavailable in August next year due to yet-to-be-announced concerts but gave his backing to the deciders being pushed into the first and third weekends of the month in two years’ time having taken feedback from units.

In the wake of Saturday evening’s penalty shoot-out deciding the Munster SHC final, he also endorsed replays applying to provincial deciders after extra-time. A proposal on the matter is expected to be on the agenda of Special Congress in October having been withdrawn at Congress in February for further consideration.

"Well, we did bring a motion to Congress this year,” said Burns at Tuesday’s launch of the All-Ireland senior hurling championship in Faithful Fields, Co Offaly. “Ironically, it was Munster GAA who stymied it. For good reason as well, because they know that they have it very tight with the preliminary quarter-finals.

“I suppose that brings that into focus as well. There are people who are very favourable towards the preliminary quarter-finals, but we will always be led by what the counties want. We decided that we would hold that particular one back.

“You don't have to talk to me above anybody else about replays and provincial finals. We've (Armagh) lost three now, two quarter-finals, on penalties. I would be very much in favour of replays where at all possible."

In April, Burns ruled out the All-Ireland finals being pushed to August in 2026 but is open to them moving there the following year. “Remember, we have an amateur organisation that is also working alongside Croke Park, which is a commercial organisation.

“Croke Park operates with regard to its priorities and how it does its business a year in advance. So, already, because we hadn't made a decision on that, August 2026 is taken up. That puts August 2027 into the mix.

“I'm around the country all the time, in clubs and counties every single day of the week, and the thing that I get most debate on are the timings of the All-Ireland finals. And there is a school of thought that is saying that first and third weeks in August, leaving everything as it is, okay, first and third weeks in August.

“Remember, the fact we're only playing two games next year in the (All-Ireland SFC) rounds saves that week for the Allianz National League. You have two weeks then after that. That solves that problem. And then you have no dead rubbers in the round-robin.” Burns continued: “You might have heard me saying that this isn't going to happen during my presidency. The decision might be made during my presidency, but it might not actually occur during my presidency. But I am certainly open to first and third weeks in August from 2027 on. At the end of the day, we are a games organisation.

“We also have to factor in replays. We have to factor in camogie and LGFA, and replays for those as well. So Croke Park could be very, very busy in that month of August. But that's great. The more games we can have in it, the better.”

Burns also indicated the Joe McDonagh Cup could run concurrently to the Liam MacCarthy Cup. “If you do away with the preliminary quarter-finals, there are advantages to that because you could stretch out the Joe McDonagh Cup and you could make that a longer competition.” 

Burns isn’t inclined to see the Leinster Council take their senior hurling final outside Croke Park as has been suggested by some pundits. He hailed the concept where 10,000 children took up the 20,000 free ticket offer for last Sunday’s game and their “imaginative move” of taking their football semi-finals outside Croke Park.

Believing the €50 price for a stand ticket was value for money after what transpired in TUS Gaelic Grounds on Saturday, Burns spoke of the committee he has charged with looking at changing the way certain tickets are priced.

“One of the things that I would always hear is around the whole business of we price ourselves out and it's stopping people from going to games. They're going to produce a report for us on our ticketing structure, on what works, what doesn't work.

“We have tried a few things this year, the Leinster championship was one of them. One of the questions is, if you charge less into a match, will more people go? It's a very simple thing. I would have to say that the €50 for the three (All-Ireland SFC) games has worked out very well for us.

“I just think if we can show imagination, particularly around, if you are in a situation in Croke Park where there's going to be 40,000 empty seats, let's prioritise filling those seats in whatever way we can. So that's the sort of things that they're looking at.” 

Burns said the revival of the International Rules series is on the agenda of the GAA’s management committee this Friday but was not yet prepared to confirm it will return in October.

“We have to be mindful of lots of things because that's coming in the middle of a closed season, which we are very protective about and that's why we did away with the pre-season competitions last year because we wanted our county players to have a genuine closed season.

“If we are going to start now with International Rules at that time, we know that would compromise that principle that we have brought in, giving our players that rest period.”