After much anticipation, the GAA has today announced how the 2020 intercounty championship will be staged. The 2020 fixture calendar was disrupted like never before because of Covid-19 but today's announcement see the GAA aiming to wrap the intercounty season in this calendar year.
In gaelic football, the straight knockout championship has been restored. There will be no qualifiers this year. The Munster champions will play the Connacht champions in one semifinal. The Ulster champions will play Dublin the Leinster champions in the other All-Ireland semifinal. The winners will contest the All-Ireland final, which will take place on Saturday December 19.
The final two rounds of the National Football League will be contested and the county that finishes top will be declared league champion.
In hurling, the Munster and Leinster provincial championships will be competed on a knockout basis, with a draw taking place tonight. There will be two rounds of back door qualifiers ahead of the All-Ireland quarterfinals. The All-Ireland hurling final will be contested on December 13 with the Joe McDonagh Cup final.
The hurling league has been declared over with Limerick and Clare champions of the two top tiers.
The Joe McDonagh Cup will remain round robin.
Meanwhile for club players, it was confirmed the provincial and All Ireland Club Championships will not take place, meaning the club season will effectively end when the intercounty season begins.
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