THE GAA PRESIDENT believes there is ‘a total unfairness’ to the current situation facing Galway hurling with the absence of home senior championship games and a lack of matches for their U21 and minor teams.
And Aogán Ó Fearghail is planning to intervene along with Director-General Pauric Duffy in order to find a solution to the problem.
There is growing unrest in the county at Galway not playing any Leinster ties at Pearse Stadium while their underage sides continue to be locked out of provincial action.
One club in the county is seeking to table a motion for them to join the Munster hurling championship.
Ó Fearghail is aiming to address the issue after next February’s GAA Congress and try to sort it in time for the 2018 season.
“I have no doubt that it’s for ourselves to deal with. I was asked by you guys very shortly after I came in as Uachtarán, that I thought it was unfair to Galway with the situation they were in and I still believe that.
“I accept that there are issues for Leinster counties also but it’s gone too long. I see a total unfairness in the situation.
“I think you need to look at it and Pauric and myself have already decided, we will deal with it. We’ll address it almost immediately when Congress is finished.”
The GAA President has doubts over whether Galway joining Munster is feasible and also points to a similar predicament facing Antrim hurling.
“I’m not sure that’s a viable option. I think you are just moving something from one chair to another chair.
“This a complete package, Galway aren’t the only county impacted, Antrim are a county who at the moment are in the Christy Ring Cup.
“But when they play, and I’ve no doubt they will, back in the Liam MacCarthy they are a county whose position needs to be looked at.
“It’s a bit strange to see that Antrim, for example, can play maybe in the Liam McCarthy Cup at senior but yet their minors and U21′s not (in Leinster).
“It’s going to be very limited what we can do. We have an exciting wonderful product in the Munster hurling championship and that is going to have to be fairly well preserved.
“Now there is in Leinster, how do we solve this? It’s going to be difficult, but we are not going to hide from it.”
The level of opposition within Leinster to further integrating Galway is unlikely to abate.
“There are some counties in Leinster that have expressed total opposition,” admits Ó Fearghail.
“We have to grasp the nettle and that’s Galway’s position and Antrim’s position. Other counties are just going to have to accept that.
“Have we reached the stage where we have a Munster Championship and a rest of Ireland championship? We’ll have to put a number of proposals before these counties and let them see.
“It still goes back to the point of fairness. Galway, as a strong hurling county, the situation they are currently in, there is no fairness attached to that.
“Certainly Galway as a county I think they deserve to play a hurling match in Salthill in Pearse Stadium.
“I can’t be too adamant about that because a lot of Leinster counties don’t agree with that position and we have to listen to them. But I don’t mind giving you my own opinion on it.”
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Put them into Munster with Tipperary, Clare, Cork, Limerick and Waterford. Then let them play each other once with each team having 3 home and 3 away games. The top team goes into the All Ireland final. Rotate the home and away each year. No more crap back door hammerings. Put the minor teams into the same format and play them before each senior game. Join the Leinster and Ulster teams the same way for the Leinster championship. Great gate receipts and great home games for the summer with a defined schedule. Play some games Friday night and Saturday night also.
Not the worst idea. As far as I can tell the maths doesn’t quite work out as with 6 teams there’d be only 5 games to play for each county (however my maths is brutal). But the 6 Nations works grand with that system.
The current model isn’t fit for purpose. There’s a romanticism surrounding the Munster Championship, and I love it too, but Munster being the only truly competitive province should lead the way on this. Make it truly competitive. Get Galway in, run the idea above, and create a 21st century product that will get crowds back buzzing.
STOP USING THE TERM “PRODUCT”. Jaysus!
Croke park should be stepping in. Also Galway should be in leinster at minor n 21 also and while we’re at it get rid of the micky mouse rule or seeding the winner of leinster. They should be in a open quater final draw like the munster winners each year
Seems to me that the Leinster council are happy to take Galway fans money at the gates but any interaction or goodwill stops there. The excuse that Salthill is too far away is a joke. Tullamore for example is nearer to Salthill than Wexford town. And with a Motorway to Galway city it’s not exactly like traveling back in time going across the Shannon anymore.
I think they should accept Galway fully (minor and u-21) and allow them their fair share of home games or just cancel the whole thing and Leinster will go back to being a one horse race.
Open draw for minor and u21. Three year trial. And when we see that working, open draw for all hurling
Surely Galway knew what the deal was when they went into Leinster.
In saying that, the provincial format is outdated and needs to reflect the smaller number of hurling counties. Munster is fine, but a second championship featuring Kilkenny, Wexford, Galway, Dublin, Antrim and maybe Laois would be much more attractive.
So a Christy ring team who couldn’t win it this this deserve a place where as Laois only maybe deserve it? Makes great sense
*this year
@Camroc:
Galway did…
But now is different times… Galway bring a lot to the Leinster Championship and deserve equal billing…
If Leinster don’t want to be fair, Galway should look at other options…
Munster might offer a better deal like not treating them like inferior county…
Mu humble view would be to:
Get rid of back door…
Keep Provincial Championship (kind of) : Munster and Leinster.
Change the League to 3 divisions of 11 teams.
5 home games and 5 away.
Move the League into the summer starting in April/Late March and finishing in Mid August…
Have Championship, League, Club Rest Weekends
2 from Championship and 2 from the League (Div one) play for the Same in Late Aug & Early Sept.
Also:
County publish weekend schedules in December of the previous year…
Half the counties season tickets (max 5000 per County) is put in central pool.
Counties who fail to meet their schedule are fined a percentage of the money per match not played.
Advantages:
Proper structured Calendar which respects the club players.
More high profile games
Weaker county teams are playing competitive games into August.
Disadvantages
Dual Players hard to accommodate (but could play twice in weekend)
Might be best to finish Club Competition in December