‘Most lads in our panel are against a ‘B’ championship’ – Broderick
CARLOW star Paul Broderick isn’t enthused by the prospect of a second-tier football championship and feels that weaker counties would only be “ushered off to make way for those greater teams”.
Broderick believes most structural proposals around a ‘B’ competition being introduced are touted by those from stronger counties who don’t understand the plight of weaker counties.
The GPA released survey data last week showing a shift in views with “60pc of football members now supporting a change”, but the Carlow attacker isn’t of that opinion, and neither are the majority of his team-mates.
“If you ask any player in Division 4 who’s experienced those types of beatings in league or championship, and they’re still all against it... I can’t speak for all of them but most are against it,” Broderick said.
“I know most of the lads in our panel would be against a ‘B’ championship. And that maybe is a lack of experience of being down there to know what it feels like.
“It feels like you’re maybe being ushered off to make way for those greater teams on the greater stage. It takes away that chance of that day that we had against Kildare this year.”
The Barrowsiders produced a massive championship shock this summer to defeat Kildare in the Leinster SFC for the first time in 65 years and Broderick doesn’t want that type of opportunity to be taken away from the underdog.
While he wasn’t involved with the Barrowsiders during the ill-fated Tommy Murphy Cup (2004-’08), he feels a similar competition will only be met with derision from players, but admits that trialling it is the only way to find out.
“If you asked me would I like to play in a second-tier championship, the answer would be no. But if you asked me do I think we’re going to win the All-Ireland in the ‘A’, the answer is no as well,” he said.
“No disrespect to the teams who’d be playing, we’re one of those who would be playing in a second tier, but they’re not going to garner the same respect and enthusiasm from the public in Carlow.
“It’s hard to know without trialling something like this, but it was trialled before and it didn’t work. For whatever reasons, I’m not sure. At the moment I wouldn’t be in favour of it. Not the way it’s currently put forward anyway.”