GAA proposes introduction of Championship group stages

REVAMP…Páraic Duffy has proposed changes

GAA Director General Páraic Duffy has today announced proposals that could lead to massive changes in the All-Ireland Football Championship.

Although it would lead to an additional six games, it is aimed at helping the club championship season.

The League semi-finals would be abolished while the quarter-finals could be replaced by group stages.

It also proposes that extra time should be played in the event of a draw in all provincial and All-Ireland Championship games. Only when teams are level after extra time should a replay take place.

PROPOSAL:

Under this proposal, the format of the All-Ireland senior football championship would be as follows:

PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: Knock-out format as at present.

ALL-IRELAND QUALIFER SERIES

Round 1 Sixteen teams that do not qualify for provincial semi-finals
Round 2 Eight round 1 winners play eight defeated provincial semi-finalists
Round 3 Eight round 2 winners play each other on an open-draw basis
Round 4 Four round 3 winners play four provincial runners-up

Proposal 1:

(i) A Division 3 or 4 team drawn against a Division 1 or 2 team in rounds one, two or three of the qualifiers will be granted an automatic home-venue advantage.
(ii) The format of ‘A’ and ‘B’ sides to the qualifier draw will be ended.

QUARTER-FINAL STAGE

Proposal 2:

The current quarter-final stage of the championship to be replaced by a Group Stage, contested by the four provincial champions and the four round 4 qualifier winners.

The group stage will be organised on a league basis with two groups of four teams, with each team playing the other three teams once. (See below for tie-breaking devices.)

Order of fixtures in both groups

Round 1
Team 1 v Team 2. Croke Park
Team 3 v Team 4. Croke Park

Round 2
Team 1 v Team 3 or 4. Home advantage for provincial champions.
Team 2 V Team 3 or 4. Home advantage for provincial champions.

Round 3
Team 1 v Team 3 or 4. Home advantage for Team 3 or 4.
Team 2 v Team 3 or 4. Home advantage for Team 3 or 4.

Note:
Home venues shall be subject to approval by the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) and shall meet the criteria set down by the National Facilities/Health and Safety Committee. CCCC shall make the draws for Rounds 2 and 3.

The above fixtures format for the group stage means that each team will have one game in Croke Park, one home game and one away game.

Tie-breakers in the event of teams finishing level on points (in order of application):

(i) Result of game between two tied teams (only where two teams are level on points) (ii) Score difference
(iii) Highest score for
(iv) Goals scored
(v) Play-off match

All-IRELAND SEMI-FINALS:

Group 1 winner v Group 2 runner-up
Group 2 winner v Group 1 runner-up
(to be played over one weekend)

All-IRELAND FINAL