Galway hold key regarding Leinster option

KILKENNY'S EMPHATIC 19-point victory over Wexford in last Sunday's Leinster senior hurling championship final has inevitably led to demand for a change in format that would introduce greater competition on a more regular basis.

It's not the first clarion call to revamp a hurling championship that, with the exception of its Munster sibling, has spluttered rather more often than fired in recent history. The GAA has not been idle in trying to find a solution, manifest in the proposals outlined by Ned Quinn, the chair of the GAA's Hurling Development Committee.

Two of three proposals have already been formulated, with the third dependent on the outcome of a meeting between GAA director general Paraic Duffy, president Nickey Brennan and Galway, which takes place next week.

Basically, the three options pertain to leaving the championship as it exists, choosing one of two options that restructure fixtures in Munster and Leinster, or the least likely scenario, which entails the scrapping of all the provincial championships.

Quinn explained: "We have been asked to bring forward three proposals for next year's championship, two of which have been finalised and the third will depend on a meeting between the ard stúirthóir (director general Duffy), an t-uachtarán (president Brennan) and Galway.

"That meeting is scheduled for next week and we would hope to have our third proposal in place by the end of July. One of the proposals would be to include Galway and Antrim in what could be called a Leinster championship or alternatively, a Rest of Ireland competition.

"That (aspect of the proposal) would be up for discussion along with other issues pertaining to any revamp.

"Changing the format (of the championship) on its own is not going to solve the hurling problem or bring on other counties. It is going to have to be matched by investment.

"It will also require the counties themselves to commit to a serious hurling development plan. It has already been done in some counties, notably Dublin and Wexford. All changes would need counties to first agree and then require a two-thirds majority. Hopefully, the changes will be accepted and we will have a better hurling championship all round."

Galway appear to hold the key to any prospective alteration, much as they did two years ago, when overtures were made to entice them into the Leinster championship. There remains an appreciable symmetry as Kilkenny ran roughshod over Wexford in the 2006 final; Galway rejected the notion of changing provincial championships at that time.

The then Galway chair Frank Burke pointed out two years ago: "The decision was taken by the clubs, who considered the idea at a meeting and were virtually 95 per cent opposed to it. The experience in Munster (where Galway were located between 1959-'67) wasn't positive and the feeling was that this offer was not attractive. We don't see it as our role to prop up the Leinster championship. We're very happy with the current system. Another issue that influenced the decision was the potential impact on local fixtures.

"We have a very successful club championship, which operates on a league basis with everyone getting four games. You only have to look at the number of Galway clubs that have won the All-Ireland to understand that we would be anxious to protect that."

Whether Galway's stance has altered in the interim will become clearer following next week's meeting.

While Kilkenny are known to be in favour of extending an invite to Galway and Antrim, Dublin hurling manager Tommy Naughton would also be receptive to the proposal, albeit with the proviso that the tournament continues to bear the name, the Leinster Hurling Championship.

He pointed out: "I'd have no problem with Galway and Antrim being introduced into the Leinster championship and would be very interested to see the proposals in their entirety. What I would object to is the scrapping of the Leinster championship to be replaced by a "rest of Ireland" competition.

"Galway and Antrim should be free to make whatever choice they wish in terms of joining another provincial championship. If they decide they want to play in the Leinster hurling championship then I don't see why they shouldn't be accommodated: but it should remain the Leinster hurling championship. We in Dublin would be more than happy to win a Leinster championship and it's important to us that we retain that opportunity."