Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
TIER WE GO AGAIN
‘B Championship’ inevitable as early as 2020 says Horan
GAA chiefs will try to kill opposition to a two-tier Championship with kindness – and aim to have the revolutionary structure in place by 2020.
GAA president John Horan has revealed that Central Council is unaminously behind the move.
And Horan (above at ESRI report launch) is willing to offer up a series of inducements to get the plan over the line – including the second tier decider as curtain-raiser to the All-ireland final.
Also on the agenda is a second tier All-star team and tour as well as passage to a new top tier qualifier structure for any Division 3 or 4 county that reaches a provincial final – and/or wins the second tier competition.
“It’s to get the players to buy into it,” said Horan.
GAA bosses hope that sweetening the deal will get a two-tier football Championship over the line by 2020.
The disapproval of the GPA and a threatened player revolt from Division Four counties thwarted plans for the introduction of a ‘B’ Championship on the eve of the 2016 Congress.
But Croke Park bosses are now keen to offer further inducements to make the proposal a more attractive offer this time around, despite ongoing resistance.
“That’s a challenge you have to take on,” said GAA president John Horan. “I think it’s the right thing to do. It’s about how you present it to people and get people to buy into it, and then hopefully you’ll deliver it.
“The present structure in hurling, which everybody eulogised, was proposed back in 2012. It was blown out the door.
“If this happens in my time, great. If this is the sowing of the seed for it to happen in the future... I think it’s inevitable and I don’t think we should shy away from the debate.”
Horan insists that Central Council is unaminously behind the idea and that it could be introduced by 2020. And he believes that the introduction of the Super 8s this year wouldn’t be an obstacle.
“We discussed it the last day at Central Council,” said Horan. “We put it to the floor for a straw poll opinion.
“Every hand went up – everybody was of the view that it should happen.
“We’ve written to the counties and asked them to come back with what they feel should be the make-up of a tier two competition. we’ll take on board what they have to offer and we’ll present it.”
Horan outlined what’s being offered to tempt counties.
“You’re going to have to sell it in a manner that makes it attractive to players,” he said. “If you’re a lad playing for Longford for 10 years, you’re entitled to a day in Croke Park in September – rather than give it to a 15 or 16-yearold who may drift away from the game in a year or two and never really value that experience. My hope would be that it would be a curtain-raiser to the senior final in September.”
Furthermore Horan is offering the carrot a second tier All-star team picked annually for an All-star tour.
He also proposed that if a county hasn’t qualifed for the Championship qualifers in the top tier by reaching Division Two in the League, it could do so by winning the second tier Championship.
“It would mean those teams that go into tier two wouldn’t play in the qualifiers – that the qualifiers would be a smaller competition restricted, maybe, to teams – this is my own personal speculation – in Division One or Two, or teams that get to a provincial final,” Horan commented.
“You’re leaving the door open for everybody to try and win Sam Maguire and to win a provincial title.”
We discussed it the last day at Central Council, we put it to the floor. Every hand went up..