LAST WEEKEND the GAA’s Special Congress met in Croke Park to debate 10 motions of varying importance.

There were two in particular that caught the nation’s attention. They focused on proposals to change the format of the football championship.

John Horan had put together a Fixtures Calendar Review Task Force a few years previous and the produced a number of motions that they felt could address such issues as one-sided championship matches, and imbalances in the provincial competitions. Those motions were whittled down to two.

The first was a format that realigned the four provinces into four groups of eight which would play a round robin style, champions league format. The controversy was that the weakest team in Ulster would play in Connacht, and the three weakest teams in Leinster would play in Munster and Connacht (two would go to Munster, one to Connacht).

The second format – which was only debated if the first format did not pass, which it didn’t – had provincial competitions played as a precursor to the league. The final placings in the league would then decide which teams played in the top tier of the championship and which played in the B tier championship. The controversy was that the top five teams in division one qualified for the top tier, as did the winner of division two. The remaining two teams to play in the All-Ireland final would be taken from a knockout between the second and third placed teams in division two and the winners of division three and division four.

The reaction to the Congress was mixed. There was frustration from some quarters that the motions did not get through, while others felt that while they wanted change, the proposals weren’t correct.

Former Cavan manager Terry Hyland was interviewed in last week’s issue of Gaelic Life. He said on that occasion that there is a ‘massive’ need for change.

We contacted him this week to ask what he thought of the outcome of the special congress. He said: “I thought the motion would have went through. I knew there was a flaw in the motion B. There was that element of that format that teams in Division three or four had an advantage, because it is easier to win games in those divisions. But I think if you are division one and you don’t win any of your games and finish bottom then you can’t have any argument as you don’t deserve to go through.

“It is no different what theme it is, the team that keeps winning will win the championship. No matter what format you have is the teams at the top are going to win.”

While the motions were not passed on this occasion, Hyland was adamant that the system needed to change.

“The bottom teams need more games in a year so that they can improve against either similar opposition. If they can do that then they can pit themselves against teams that are higher up than that.”

While it might be construed as negative that the championship formats weren’t embraced. Hyland felt that there are positives to take from Congress.

“There is a mood for change. Even the guys who voted against said that change was needed. Some of them may be minding their own door, but they do see change coming.”

Hyland pointed out that the Congress also highlighted how decisions are made, and the voting structure was also under scrutiny as well.

He felt that the voting structure was confusing, and he said that he’d like it to be clearer as to how votes are distributed.

“The GAA always ran down two roads. There is one road with the people who play, and who manage and who coach. Then there is the other road of the people who get the committee route. That is how they get strong, and that is their All-Ireland. Sometimes you don’t get the cross over because the guys who are involved in the playing side just do what they do and the guys on committees do what they do. It is how to get them working together and better for the association.”

Despite all that he sees change coming.

“I don’t see how it will happen, but I think it is coming. It will come down to how you do it so that the provincial committees aren’t seen to be undermined. They have to have a role. But you must remember that when the GAA was set up it was set up in an Ireland that was divided both geographically and communication wise. Every parish had three teams at the time, because they used bikes to go to matches.

“We are still nearly on that system. It is how we modernise the system and streamline it, and bring it forward.”

Former Donegal coach Maxi Curran last week said that he felt that the GAA should look to the Ladies format who had embraced the tiered system with some success.

We asked him this week what he thought about the motions failing to go through.

He said: “I wasn’t surprised in the end. You could see the tide had started to turn in the last few days and as everyone knows the GAA is a quite a political animal still. So when the powers that be started to work against it, it was probably inevitable it was going to end the way it did.

“In terms of the next stage of this, I feel change is only around the corner. An A B or Senior Intermediate split is also inevitable I feel. With some form of relegation promotion element to it, like what is the norm in most county championships. I feel the key however might be staggering the timing of the competitions, allowing the victors or highest finishing teams from the lower grade some form of entry into the same year’s senior competition. That would appease the teams in the lower grade somewhat, while still allowing the top 16 or Division 1 and Division 2 teams to continue to compete in the higher grade.

“I also feel they could continue the layout of the season as is, leaving the NFL be and use the provincial championships as a means of getting the 16 teams in any one year for the higher grade by taking the 16 provincial semi finalists.”

Former Tyrone player, Ryan McMenamin who was Fermanagh manager last season is also in the camp that wanted change. However, he felt it important that the provincial competition be protected.

“I think change is coming. They need everyone to sit down together and have a blank canvas approach and a way of tying the provincial to the championship.

“I do think if they had given the provincial winners a guaranteed spot in the quarter-finals regardless of league position then the proposal would have went through.

“I would hate to see the provincials go as Ulster is a fantastic competition and the history involved in all the provincials.”

Former Derry manager Damien McErlain echoed McMenamin’s sentiments about the provincial competition, but he also picked up on the mood in Ireland about the championship and its format.

“Even those wanting change felt Proposal B just wasn’t quite right and it wasn’t.

“But this now gives everyone more time to digest the various possibilities of impact not only on the County game but also on Club schedules etc.

“It’ll never be perfect or black and white but change is imminent in some form. Hopefully they can still preserve the Ulster Championship from a selfish point of view and then link it with what lies ahead in the All Ireland series somehow.

“There are tweaks to be made and other decent models to work from but they need to work on it all winter to get it to an acceptable place for it to pass through Congress. The votes need to be transparent at Congress as well but that’s another story!”

DEBATE… Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Larry McCarthy during the GAA Special Congress at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó MídheachSportsfile

RESULT… Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Larry McCarthy announces the result of Motion 19, regarding the restructure of the GAA football championship, which did not get the required 60% to pass, and so failed, during the GAA Special Congress at Croke Park in Dublin.Photo by Piaras Ó MídheachSportsfile

RESULT… Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Larry McCarthy announces the result of Motion 19, regarding the restructure of the GAA football championship, which did not get the required 60% to pass, and so failed, during the GAA Special Congress at Croke Park in Dublin.Photo by Piaras Ó MídheachSportsfile

NO SURPRISE… Maxi Curran felt that the motions at Congress would fail

LESSON LEARNED… Damien McErlain says people will reflect upon the motions

PROTECT ULSTER… Ryan McMenamin says tweaks are needed to the motions to protect the provincial competitions

FORMAT… Terry Hyland said people missed the point of the motions, and that the best teams will win no matter what the format