GAA spreads Championship load

MORE than quarter of next year’s football and hurling provincial championship games could be played on Saturday evenings as the move away from Sunday fixture cramming gathers pace.

Eight games – including some high-profile ties – are already fixed for Saturday evenings, and four others could be added as Munster have yet to decide the precise date for their football semi-finals.

All-Ireland football champions Dublin and hurling counterparts Kilkenny are already committed to Saturday action.

Dublin will play in Nowlan Park against Laois or Wicklow in the Leinster football quarter-final on June 4, while Kilkenny will take on either Wexford or Dublin in Wexford Park or Portlaoise in the hurling semi-final a week later.

Connacht are set for a big Saturday event: if, as expected Mayo beat London in the quarter-final, they will play Galway in the semifinal on Saturday, June 18.

Ulster will also stage a semi-final on Saturday evening when Donegal/ Fermanagh/Antrim play Down/ Monaghan on June 25.

Ulster are continuing with their policy of playing the eight games over eight weekends, a drawn-out process which is coming under national scrutiny amid attempts to create more time for club activity in the summer months.

The provincial action begins on May 1, but it will take a few weeks to crank up interest after the draws delivered some low-key early rounds.

That’s not conducive to a big promotional push, including for the return of The Sunday Game, which launched this year with the Donegal v Tyrone clash.

The lower-profile Fermanagh v Antrim will be the first game on the Ulster schedule on May 15, the same day as Offaly host Longford in the Leinster first round.