After yet another lob sided championship in the GAA, discussions have finally begun regarding the potential introduction of a second-tier championship in 2017.
The Irish Examiner report that a number of proposals have been distributed to county boards, to debate on before a decision is taken at Central Council next month whether or not to put a motion forward to Congress in February with the purpose of having it passed for the 2017 season.
14 of the 18 proposals refer to the implementation of a 'B' competition, meaning the probability of a second-tier championship is high, but nothing is certain yet.
Previous debates about a second-tier championship raised concerns from players about a reduction in the number of games available while others vehemently opposed the possibility of losing the provincial system.
Championship styles predicated on the Champions League format as well as the reinstitution of the Tommy Murphy Cup, feature in these recommendations as well as a seeded qualifier system based on the previous year’s provincial and league standings.
One such example which would see a 'B' competition come into the GAA championship is outlined in Proposal 2, where the provincial tournaments are retained while the qualifiers are terminated.
The 16 teams from Division 1 and 2 would compete for the Sam Maguire Cup plus those Division 3 and 4 teams if they win their respective provincial final. The eight winners go on to contest the All-Ireland quarter-finals. Teams from Division 3 and 4 play in a knock-out competition with semi-finals and final played in Croke Park.
