Of the eight teams in Division 4 of the National Football League for 2016, three made it beyond the first round of the qualifiers in the 2015 Championship. None made it past the second round.
All eight were defeated in their first round provincial championship games.
Under new proposals from the GAA, Division 4 teams would still get to play in their provincial championship, but should they lose in the opening game, they will no longer enter the qualifiers.
Instead they will enter their own championship.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport, GAA president Aogán Ó Fearghail said the proposal will go before Central Council next Saturday.
If you are a football county, currently in Division 4 of the league, yes, play your first game within the provincial championship system.
But if you lose that game, and unfortunately the evidence is that a lot of the Division 4 teams do lose the first round, instead of going into the qualifiers and being beaten again by maybe a strong team, that they should have one championship for themselves.
And that’s a proposal that will go before Central Council.
I believe it’s a good one. I think it would offer a lot of hope and excitement for counties in Division 4.
Let’s see what Central Council’s view on that is.
In Division 4 of the National League currently are Antrim, Carlow, Leitrim, London, Louth, Waterford, Wicklow, and Wexford.
Picture credit: Brendan Moran / SPORTSFILE
