Motions for the GAA Special Congress have been revealed this afternoon, that could cause serious ructions in Leinster and Munster.
With the proposed introduction of a 'round-robin' format in which 5 teams in each province play four games (2 home and 2 away), the prospect of emerging from this format successfully is relatively straight-forward. The top two teams will play in the retained provincial final, while the third-placed team would take their place in a quarter-final stage - their opponents being the losing provincial finalist from the alternative province.
However, taking Munster as an example, of Tipperary, Limerick, Waterford, Clare or Cork, one county will inevitably finish bottom of the provincial group. According to the proposal, that team would be ineligible to compete in the following year's Munster or All-Ireland championship - the winner of the proposed Tier 2 championship taking their place for the following year.
Tipperary, Dublin and Cork have submitted their own disapproval of this change, yet, it is Cork who have perhaps announced the most compelling idea for change:
In the All-Ireland Qualifier Series it proposes retaining the current provisions except that there be no Round 2 and that four winners progress to All-Ireland Quarter-Finals.
The principal proposed change is to run the All-Ireland Quarter-Finals on a similar basis to the new All-Ireland Football Quarter-Finals.
The All-Ireland Quarter-Finals to be organised on a 'Round-Robin' basis of two groups of four teams with each team in a group playing the other team once.
The teams participating to be the Provincial Champions and Runners-Up of the Munster and Leinster Championships and the four winning teams from the All-Ireland Qualifier Series.
Content with the current provincial structure as it stands, such a proposal would mean that an All-Ireland winner would play a minimum of 7 games throughout the campaign - Galway, by contrast, played 5 this year (4 stands as the current absolute minimum depending on provincial draws).
The Special Congress is due to commence on September 30th.
SEE ALSO: Mayo And Dublin Unhappy With Referee Appointment For All-Ireland Final
