THE HOT topic of conversation this week in GAA circles was the need to restructure the football championships.
Everyone has had their say. Some have asked for round robin style formats, others have looked to the league as a starting point for championship seedings.
The one constant in all these ‘ideas’ is that the provincial championships should remain intact. That tradition cannot be cast aside in the name of progress.
People will look to Dublin’s dominance of Leinster and casually blame the other counties for not having their houses in order, while others will use the population in the capital as an aside to that team’s dominance.
For me, the provincial championship has its merits. That is, in Ulster, Leinster and Connacht. The Munster senior football championship is completely redundant, in my eyes.
Look at the stats. 76 wins for Kerry. 37 for Cork. Tipperary are next on 9, their last in 1935. Clare have two, 1917 and 1992, while Limerick, 1896 and Waterford, 1989 have one each.
Is this system working? Absolutely not. The win in ’92 for Clare was a complete fluke. Yet the GAA and even Limerick GAA themselves have voted to protect the monopoly of the top two sides by seeding them again. Meaning, should you shock one of the super powers, the chances are you won’t beat the two of them. It’s time that common sense prevailed or the football championship will become like the hurling one, with only a handful of counties competing.
