The expansion of next year’s intercounty championship fixture window seems unlikely due to the influence of Oasis, thereby dashing hopes of many anticipating the change. As it seems, a firm decision has likely been reached during the Central Council meeting on Saturday regarding the upcoming year’s schedule.
However, forthcoming All-Ireland finals may possibly see replays if matches end in a draw, instead of extra time. I’m content with this potential change. I also can’t help but feel that hurling’s reputation has been impacted by the past few events over three seasons. Although some of it might have to be conceded for the greater benefit, addressing some pressing issues could prove beneficial for all. Even incorporating an additional two weeks into the yearly calendar could provide some relief.
One key problem which cannot be resolved, yet worth acknowledging, is the time of the year that matches take place and its impact on the championship quality. It is prevalent that a large chunk of hurling matches are conducted in unfavourable weather conditions. Though the future weather patterns are unpredictable, we are gradually stretching the championship into the later part of the year, leaving only the All-Ireland semi-finals and finals to be enjoyed in the heart of summer.
This year’s Munster final was held in unexpectedly frigid weather, with the chances of such occurrences increasing as we inch closer to May. Match pace typically slows down at the start of the championship due to altered pitch conditions.
Historically, it equates to the end of league conditions. Factors like uneven motivation and competitiveness resulted in mediocre league semi-finals, primarily due to deteriorating pitches. Despite advancements in grassland science, the existing conditions are far from ideal.
Unless we decide to host every Munster match in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, which has seen substantial investment in pitch improvement, it seems we must contend with varied hurling standards as the season advances.
From a commercial and promotional standpoint, numerous prominent matches coincide with the culmination of the English Premier League and the European Champions Cup in rugby. The presence of Irish interest in rugby isn’t certain, yet it has been consistent over recent years, garnering substantial attention.
Two years prior, the All-Ireland hurling final weekend found itself competing for attention with remarkable events like Ireland’s Test series triumph in New Zealand and the final rounds of British Open, where Rory McIlroy was in the last group. The hurling event wasn’t in any way overshadowed, but it certainly had to vie for finite space.
This creates a bit of a quandary for the GAA, further complicated by the fact many hurling matches are streamed exclusively on GAAGo. There’s nothing wrong with pay-to-view broadcasting, however using a platform that’s difficult to access due to technical glitches and subpar broadband – actively hampers efforts to adequately promote the sport.
Several related issues would be simpler to resolve. For instance, it’s nonsensical that three out of the last five championship matches kicked off prior to 4pm on a Saturday. This sport demands better representation. In Dublin, it often takes a lot of coaxing to get the audience to rally behind the hurlers, so timetabling needs to be more strategic.
Consider, for instance, Cork – the most beloved team countrywide – who were made to play at 1.15pm on a Saturday in Thurles for an All-Ireland quarter-final. It’s absolutely counterproductive and inadvertently diminishes the sport and the championship.
Ideally, the quarter-finals should be scheduled for a Sunday. A semi-final needn’t be at 3pm on Saturday, either. While there’s nothing wrong with the day itself, it would be better to slot it at a time where it can seize undivided audience attention.
In addition, there are times when the fixtures are simply excessive. Instances when two Leinster and two Munster matches clash, for example, lead to an unsightly logjam causing some matches to go untelevised entirely. This was famously the case last year when the classic summer hurling contest between Wexford v Kilkenny didn’t get aired. Regrettably, it ended up being an exceptionally explosive match.
Effectively promoting hurling to a typically fickle audience becomes challenging if momentum only really builds during the All-Ireland semi-finals and final. By that point, the season’s practically concluded.
The spotlight swiftly moves from newly-crowned hurling champions to the imminent football final, leaving little time to bask in the glory of the hurling victories. The cycle moves so quickly that we only briefly observe Clare’s homecoming before high-profile hurling disappears from the public’s perspective.
Club matches may continue but they don’t pique the public interest as much. An additional week between the finals would greatly enhance hurling’s presence in the public consciousness for a longer period.
Such a packed fixture schedule can also lead to other repercussions, including injuries. For instance, ahead of this year’s final, two key players, Shane O’Donnell, the likely Hurler of the Year, and top scorer Patrick Horgan suffered injuries. Another player, Tony Kelly, was just returning from a significant spell of missed games.
Turning briefly to the football final, Galway’s key forwards, Shane Walsh, Damien Comer and Rob Finnerty were also dealing with injuries. Finnerty exited the match early, and the others’ performances were sub-optimal, all working against the same timeline.
The Preliminary All-Ireland quarter-finals, an unusual inclusion, could be eliminated to free up a week. The winners of the McDonagh Cup will gain entry to the Liam MacCarthy in the next season, a standard practice in numerous sports.
Although this wouldn’t grant an extra week as counties wouldn’t have to play a quarter-final just a week post losing a provincial final, it would lessen the physical demands on players.
The rapid succession of attention-shifting events often leads to people losing focus. I believe that too many major events are being relocated off-Broadway and this could cause harm over time.
The Central Council meeting scheduled for Saturday has an important agenda to be discussed, according to Seán Moran. Likely outcomes may include the recommended reintroduction of replays for tied All-Ireland finals based on CCCC review feedback and approval of a new design for the football championship. However, some delegates might resist the proposed implementation set for 2026.
The proposed motion suggests no amendments to the 2025 football championship, thus ruling out a broader calendar scope.
Several counties are reportedly interested in implementing the new structure for the forthcoming summer championship. The structure sees the elimination of the disputed All-Ireland round-robin stage, known for its lack of risk, where only four out of 16 teams were removed in the 12 group games.
In place of this, a qualifier-like setup is being suggested where the next eight counties, ranked according to league finish, would meet the eight provincial finalists in a knockout stage. The provincial champions involved in the four victorious matches would move directly to the All-Ireland quarter-finals, while the losers would play against the remaining four teams in a preliminary quarter-final.
The Football Review Committee, led by Jim Gavin, will put forward suggestions for adjustments to the rules during November’s special congress. Expectations are that these will consist of directives such as the necessity for a defending team to retain three players within their 65m line, a 40m arc from each goal outside of which a ball kicked over the bar merits two points; a clause allowing a fouled player to continue from a free; an increment in the value of a goal to four points; advancement of the ball up to 50m for acts of disobedience or cynical fouls.
Gavin held a briefing for the county managers about these potential modifications on Thursday evening.