Red Hand chief calls for two-tier All-Ireland

ONE of Ulster’s top GAA officials has called for the introduction of a two-tier All-Ireland Football Championship. Tyrone secretary Dominic McCaughey has also expressed serious doubts about the sustainability of the new Super 8 format, and claims the integrity of the Championship can only be protected by establishing a second tier. ‘The only way in which there can be an increase in the number of high-quality intercounty Football Championship games is by introducing grading, as is done for clubs in every county, and in inter-county adult hurling. ‘The Association should introduce at least two grades in which county teams would be competing against those of similar standards; this system works perfectly in the four divisions of the National League where well-matched teams achieve appropriate results. ‘In the Hurling Championship each county is accommodated at a level where it can aspire to success, whether it is attempting to win the Lory Meagher Cup or the Liam MacCarthy Cup. ‘If this system is successful in hurling why can it not be contemplated for football? ‘It could readily be established and could co-exist with a provincial championship,’ claims McCaughey in his annual report to Tyrone convention, which takes place next Tuesday night. A Central Council backed motion in 2016, which sought to introduce a second tier for division four teams, was rejected by counties most likely to be involved. Championship reform did come earlier this year, but was limited to replacing the All-Ireland quarter-finals with two groups of four teams. While Tyrone are expected to feature in the inaugural Super 8 format, McCaughey has warned that it could lead to a series of ‘dead rubbers’. ‘There may be some highquality games, but there is a greater chance that there will be nothing at stake in the final games within each group, and there is a possibility that some teams may decide to play for a desired outcome, which would potentially lead to a preferred semi-final fixture.’