GAA outline proposed structures for Tier 2 championship

The GAA have put forward two separate proposals on the formation of a Tier 2 All-Ireland senior football championship.

Proposal A will feature the Provincial Championships as present with the current four rounds of All-Ireland Qualifiers reducing to two rounds and open to teams from Allianz Divisions 1 and 2 and any Allianz Division 3 and 4 teams who qualify for their Provincial Finals. The Tier 2 Championship format of Proposal A is a straight knock out competition for 16 teams from across Divisions 3 and 4 that do not make their Provincial Finals. The GAA also said that there is a possibility that competition may be organised on a geographical basis – northern and southern conferences for first round ties, quarter-finals and semi-finals. Proposal B features Division 3 and 4 teams that do not reach a Provincial Final entering a new Tier 2 championship. In the event that a Division 3 or 4 team do reach a Provincial Final, to make up 16 teams in Tier 2 their place in Tier 2 would be taken by the lowest ranked Division 2 team from that year’s Allianz league. The format for the Tier 2 Championship in Proposal B features an initial round of games which then creates a winners’ group and a losers’ group and so offers beaten counties a way of playing their way back into contention. Proposal B would be played out on the following lines: 16 Teams involved Rd 1: 8 Teams v 8 Teams Rd 2a: 4 Winners Rd 1 v 4 Winners Rd 1 Rd 2b: 4 Losers Rd 1 v 4 Losers Rd 1 Rd 3: 4 Rd 2b Winners v 4 Rd 2a Losers QF: 4 Rd 2a Winners v 4 Rd 3 Winners Semi-finals & Final An additional prize for the winner of the final under both proposals would be a place reserved in the following year’s All-Ireland Sam Maguire Championship, irrespective of their league position. A decision on the proposals will be taken at a Special Congress which will be staged at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on October 19, with a view to implementation in time for the 2020 Championship summer.