GAA needs to rethink new qualifier draw format

ROSCOMMON manager John Evans has called for the GAA to return the AllIreland qualifiers to an open draw format.

The GAA have split this year’s qualifiers into two sections, A and B, with Evans claiming that should his team lose today’s Connacht semi-final against Mayo, they would be placed in a ‘monstrous’ group in the event of entering the qualifiers at the second round phase.

Roscommon are sectioned on the same side of the draw as Tyrone, Monaghan, Down, Cavan and Armagh, as well as Meath and Kildare in Leinster, and Evans has claimed that it is an ‘unfair’ draw.

‘We either go to the Connacht final or go down the qualifier route from here, but the latter is fraught with some serious teams and that side of the draw is monstrous.

‘No one said it was going to be easy but in the other section of it there are a lot of Division 4 teams; it is very unfairly drawn out and they should really consider which teams are where.

‘Our focus is completely on Mayo but if you are asking me about getting a run in the qualifiers, God we will earn the run.

‘They should go back to an open draw,’ said the Kerry native.

The decision to split the qualifiers sections was proposed by the GAA’s national fixtures committee in order for a definitive window for games be put in place, helping to ensure there is club activity during the summer.