Gaelic players group urge debate on football championship reform

At a media briefing in Dublin on Thursday in the Santry Crowne Plaza Hotel the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) called on the GAA leadership to promote discussion on football championship reforms going before this month’s special congress.

GPA chief executive Tom Parsons was expressing the organisation’s strong support for Option B and was asked would he like the GAA to get behind one of the proposals.

“Yeah, I would like to see it. We have a number of weeks to special congress and again it’s an educational journey for all our GAA administration and leadership and as I say there is still time to educate and deep dive and listen to debates and listen to players, host focus groups, and go around the country and listen, to formulate your opinion.”

Option B provides for a round-robin format provincial championship in the spring – one single group in Munster and Connacht and two groups in Leinster and Ulster with semi-finals (one in the smaller provinces and two in the bigger) and finals to determine the champions.

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The All-Ireland championship would be league-based on the current divisions with the top five in Division One, the top three in Division Two plus the table toppers in Divisions Three and Four going into a knockout competition with the remaining counties in Three and Four contesting the Tailteann Cup, the GAA’s latest proposal for a Tier 2 championship.

Option A appears to have little support and entails shuffling counties around provinces so that there are four eight-county “conferences” with a knockout format and qualifiers to follow.

According to Parsons, 80 per cent of those who replied to a GPA survey (about 30 per cent of the 1,200 footballing membership) and 90 per cent of the county reps who had spoken to their panels were in favour of Option B.

The benefits as seen by the GPA are more matches at the best time of the year and the limiting of one-sided matches because of the hierarchical divisional structure and the careful filtering of successful counties from the lower divisions.

Longford footballer Mickey Quinn explained how it would work for lower-division counties.

“With this championship-league formation, it allows for that, for a Division Four team that’s after possibly winning seven games on the trot, going in to play a top 10 team, probably coming off the back of a mixed campaign, to end up in a position that they’re in. There’s a potential for momentum to cause that upset.”

Parsons was asked about the financial element – a consideration that’s bothering provincial councils and he was upbeat.

“People want to go to competitive games. This doubles the amount of competitive championship games in the summer. In the existing Super 8s, it’s 66; in the new proposed structure it’s 135 competitive games in the summer. I’m sure if we run the numbers, it will be financially of benefit.”

Provincial system

Tyrone goalkeeper Niall Morgan emphasised the fairness of the proposed format compared to the provincial system.

“Kerry are getting through every year after one or two games. Dublin are getting through every year without having to break stride. That makes it more difficult for us because they don’t have to come out and train as early.

“I think Seán Cavanagh could have played another three years if he didn’t have to play McKenna Cup. He’s having to play it because he has to be at his best when we start playing in the Ulster championship. You asked would it be hard for Division Three and Four teams if this doesn’t go through. It will be hard for everyone because this is what everyone wants.”

He added that he would prefer the status quo to Option A.

In relation to whether the format would prove a difficulty for the Division One counties, who would drop out of the All-Ireland while counties from lower divisions proceeded, Clare footballer – and former All-Ireland hurling winner – Podge Collins was emphatic.

“You’re going to have seven chances in Division One to get through to that top five and as far as I’m concerned if you’re not in that top five in a given year, you’re not good enough to win the All-Ireland. The likelihood is that one of those teams in the top three of Division One will win it more often than not.”