Post by BIGMAC on Aug 26, 2006 13:15:08 GMT
GAA bid for brave new world
Saturday August 26th 2006
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REDUCTIONS in the number of championship qualifier games, a revised National League format and a tightened summer inter-county schedule are on the way if freshly-drafted proposals are accepted by a special GAA Congress in October.
Full details of the new plan are to be unveiled next week but it's understood that they include cutting the hurling championship qualifier groups from two to one. The two teams beaten in the first round of Leinster and Munster will join Galway and the Ulster champions in the qualifying group.
The beaten Leinster and Munster semi-finalists also played in the qualifiers over the last two years but the new proposal is that they play off against each other on a knock-out basis. The Hurling Development Committee, the group that devised the new system, also proposed to re-structure the National Hurling League so that nine rather than 12 counties competes in Division One. The present format features two groups of six but the new Division One will guarantee each four 'home' and 'four' away games.
It's understood that among the proposals in football is a re-structuring of the NFL, a reduction of qualifier games and a later start to the provincial campaigns as the Task Force bid to make more weekends available for club competitions.
Martin Breheny
Saturday August 26th 2006
ADVERTISEMENT
REDUCTIONS in the number of championship qualifier games, a revised National League format and a tightened summer inter-county schedule are on the way if freshly-drafted proposals are accepted by a special GAA Congress in October.
Full details of the new plan are to be unveiled next week but it's understood that they include cutting the hurling championship qualifier groups from two to one. The two teams beaten in the first round of Leinster and Munster will join Galway and the Ulster champions in the qualifying group.
The beaten Leinster and Munster semi-finalists also played in the qualifiers over the last two years but the new proposal is that they play off against each other on a knock-out basis. The Hurling Development Committee, the group that devised the new system, also proposed to re-structure the National Hurling League so that nine rather than 12 counties competes in Division One. The present format features two groups of six but the new Division One will guarantee each four 'home' and 'four' away games.
It's understood that among the proposals in football is a re-structuring of the NFL, a reduction of qualifier games and a later start to the provincial campaigns as the Task Force bid to make more weekends available for club competitions.
Martin Breheny