MESSENGER…Peter McGinnity will be bringing Fermanagh’s view back to Croke Park about how to improve competition structures for ‘weaker’ counties
A committee chaired by Eugene McGee has been set up by Croke Park to look into the particular problems of counties classed as less successful.
The aim is to hopefully introduce a competitive format which would give counties in this category a meaningful competition to contest.
The committee, of which Peter McGinnity is a member, forwarded proposals to around a dozen county boards and were aired at the Fermanagh’s January county board meeting.
Four proposals have been presented for consideration.
1. Maintain the status quo.
2. All teams contest the provincial championships. Division four teams knocked out do not contest the qualifiers, but go in to their own separate competition with the final the curtain raiser to an All Ireland semi-final.
3. The same as two with the final of the new competition curtain raiser to the All Ireland final.
4. The same as two with the winner of the new competition re-entering the All Ireland series at round four.
It was emphasised that these were only suggestions being put forward by the work group to canvass opinion from the counties concerned.
There was generally a favourable reaction from delegates with one pointing out that it was important that Fermanagh indicate that they would be open to ideas.
The initial reaction at the January county board meeting was that it was essential that all counties be in their provincial championship.
Option four, which opened the doorway to re entry to the All-Ireland, garnered the most positive reception.
County Secretary Tom Boyle reported at the end of last week that since the Board meeting he had received some suggestions from individuals and clubs and these were forwarded to the committee.