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Croke Park: a lot harder to get to every year for some teams if plans if rubberstamped. Cathal Noonan/INPHO

GAA bids to remove Division 4 teams from football championship

Croke Park chiefs will put this plan to Congress next month.

DIVISION FOUR TEAMS will no longer take part in the All-Ireland senior football championship, if a GAA proposal passes at Congress next month.

Croke Park chiefs today outlined new proposals which would see sides in the bottom tier of the league play in their respective provincial championships but not, necessarily, the All-Ireland series.

They would have a so-called B championship to focus on with the winner of that competition invited into the following year’s All-Ireland championship. The details, according to the GAA, are:

  • All counties will take part in their respective provincial championships.
  • The teams that are placed in Division Four at the conclusion of the National Football League will play in their provincial championship only. They will also participate in an All-Ireland Senior ‘B’ Football Championship, which will be played on a straight knock-out basis. The winners of the All-Ireland ‘B’ Football Championship will be guaranteed a place in the following year’s All-Ireland Football Qualifier.
  • The winners of the Provincial Championships will progress directly to the All-Ireland quarter-finals. The losers of the provincial finals will play in Round Three of the All-Ireland Football qualifiers.
  • The 16 teams who do not reach the provincial final and who are not eligible for the All-Ireland B championship will play in Round One of the All-Ireland Qualifiers. This will be an open draw.
  • The eight winners of Round One of the All-Ireland qualifier will play in Round Two.
  • In Round Three of the All-Ireland qualifier, the four winners from Round Two will play the four Provincial Final losers.
  • In the All-Ireland Football quarter-finals the four provincial final winners will play the Round Three winners.
  • In Rounds One and Two of the All-Ireland qualifier, where teams from Division Two, Three or Four are drawn against a team from a higher division, the team from the lower Division will automatically have home advantage.

Congress will be held in Carlow next month.

What do you make of the proposal?

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    Mute Ciarán
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    May 15th 2017, 10:34 PM

    Best CB in England the last 15 years, Controversial but if Chelsea dont want him, Welcome to Anfield!! Would add steel and leadership to the squad.

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    Mute Liverpool HQ
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    May 15th 2017, 10:36 PM

    @Ciarán: wtf wouldn’t let that sc**mbag tarnish our club

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    Mute Jamie
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    May 15th 2017, 10:37 PM

    @Liverpool HQ: how many shares do you have?

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    Mute The Pig
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    May 15th 2017, 10:38 PM

    @Liverpool HQ: in fairness if it meant i hadn’t got steak and kidney pie in me jocks everytime we had a set piece against us I’d have him all day at Liverpool and his Mother.

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    Mute Ciarán
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    May 15th 2017, 11:28 PM

    @Liverpool HQ: Give over, Football has gone way past the moral high ground. Hes a great player and on footballing ability and leadership hes better than what Liverpool habe at the moment maybe Matip aside.

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    Mute Liverpool HQ
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    May 16th 2017, 12:46 AM

    @Jamie: I’m John W Henry of Fenway Sports Group?

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    Mute Liverpool HQ
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    May 16th 2017, 12:46 AM

    @Ciarán: he gifted Watford a goal today? The first game he’s back starting they conceded 3 goals what does that tell you.

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    Mute Philip Mc dermott
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    May 16th 2017, 8:28 AM

    @Liverpool HQ: it tells you he’s 36 and not the player he used to be cop on man

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    Mute Martin Redington
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    May 15th 2017, 10:53 PM

    Can someone please tell me why people hate john terry, I have a lot of respect for him and what he has accomplished! Genuinely looking for a reason..

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    Mute Irin Flynn
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    May 15th 2017, 11:29 PM

    @Martin Remington: You’ve been watching to much Dr Phil

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    Mute Martin Redington
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    May 16th 2017, 12:37 AM

    @Irin Flynn: catch me out side, how bow da!

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    Mute Philip Mc dermott
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    May 16th 2017, 8:32 AM

    @Martin Redington: the reason people hate him is because he’s the captain of Chelsea who after abramovic invested his millions became a powerhouse of the English game they’ve won more trophies than united in that time and don’t even mention Liverpoo or the goonettes that’s the real reason people hate him.

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    Mute bluematrix
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    May 16th 2017, 12:27 AM

    Legend, leader, captain, best cb in the English league ever seen, blood tears and hard work jt put into the club, will be hard to replace,

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    Mute Johnny Bravo
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    May 16th 2017, 12:44 AM

    Don’t blame it on Anelka…
    don’t blame it on Lampard…
    don’t blame it on Drogba….
    blame it on Terrry!!!!!!!

    I just can’t…..
    I just can’t…..
    I just can’t control my feet (slip)

    I just can’t…..
    I just can’t…..
    I just can’t score penalties!

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    Mute Johnny Bravo
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    May 16th 2017, 12:39 AM

    “Oh john terry wherever you may be,
    you just cant take a penalty,
    you f*^ked it up,
    in the european cup,
    and you”ve still got no history”.
    “Oh john terry wherever you may be,
    you just cant take a penalty,
    the goal was tall and the goal was wide,
    but you slipped and fell on your backside”.

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    Mute The Pig
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    May 16th 2017, 6:17 AM

    @Johnny Bravo: do you not work. SPONGER

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    Mute Jamie
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    May 15th 2017, 11:03 PM

    Jealousy

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    Mute Johnny Bravo
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    May 16th 2017, 12:43 AM

    Chelsea, wherever you may be don’t trust your wife with John Terry, he’s hiding in the garden, he’s hiding in the shed, he’ll f**** your wife in your own bed!

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    Mute Johnny Bravo
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    May 16th 2017, 12:42 AM

    He slips, he falls, and Chelski win f**k all, John Terry, John Terry.

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    Mute The Pig
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    May 16th 2017, 6:17 AM

    @Johnny Bravo: no job to be up 4 no????

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