Post by Owenabue on Aug 22, 2007 15:48:24 GMT
www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/qualifiers-uturn-to-offer-division-four-counties-a-new-chance-1062947.htmlQualifiers u-turn to offer Division Four counties a new chance
The controversial decision to exclude teams who were relegated to Division Four of the league last season is soon to be reversed.
This year's chance came from a desire to reduce the number of qualifier games and to give more dates to club football in an effort to stop lop-sided matches in the back-door system which was introduced in 2001.
This season's qualifiers were cut from four to three rounds by excluding Offaly, Wicklow, Tipperary, Carlow, Waterford, Clare, Antrim and London.
Content
Once they had lost their opening game at provincial level they had to be content to play solely in the Tommy Murphy Cup, which is the modern equivalent of the 'B Championships'.
Wicklow greeted their victory in that competition with the enthusiasm of a side who had won Sam Maguire, especially as their extra-time thriller had earned them a rare opportunity to play at Croke Park.
Yet there was still massive disquiet about the new system which weaker counties felt was discriminatory.
Judging by the reaction among delegates at last Saturday's Central Council meeting, they will have enough support from other counties to reverse the decision.
"A move to get rid of that rule is definitely gathering momentum," one GAA insider said yesterday.
It is believed that the status quo will be restored at an upcoming Special Congress before Christmas, or else at National Congress next Spring.
Either outcome means this back door provision will be outlawed before next year's championship.
-
Micko will be pleased they changed their minds.
The controversial decision to exclude teams who were relegated to Division Four of the league last season is soon to be reversed.
This year's chance came from a desire to reduce the number of qualifier games and to give more dates to club football in an effort to stop lop-sided matches in the back-door system which was introduced in 2001.
This season's qualifiers were cut from four to three rounds by excluding Offaly, Wicklow, Tipperary, Carlow, Waterford, Clare, Antrim and London.
Content
Once they had lost their opening game at provincial level they had to be content to play solely in the Tommy Murphy Cup, which is the modern equivalent of the 'B Championships'.
Wicklow greeted their victory in that competition with the enthusiasm of a side who had won Sam Maguire, especially as their extra-time thriller had earned them a rare opportunity to play at Croke Park.
Yet there was still massive disquiet about the new system which weaker counties felt was discriminatory.
Judging by the reaction among delegates at last Saturday's Central Council meeting, they will have enough support from other counties to reverse the decision.
"A move to get rid of that rule is definitely gathering momentum," one GAA insider said yesterday.
It is believed that the status quo will be restored at an upcoming Special Congress before Christmas, or else at National Congress next Spring.
Either outcome means this back door provision will be outlawed before next year's championship.
-
Micko will be pleased they changed their minds.
