Clubs to vote on format proposals

Tipperary GAA have published a list of the motions submitted for its annual competition structures meeting which takes place on Monday, 25th November.

By Shane Brophy

Six motions have been submitted, although none of them pertain to the hurling championship structures which further indicates the satisfaction among clubs of the sixteen team competitions at senior, premier intermediate, and intermediate grades.

The one hurling motion, from Eire Og Annacarty/Donohill, relates to the league which proposes the introduction of promotion and relegation. It puts forward a structure of twelve teams in each division, using the championship standings from 2024 to determine their make up for 2025 (i.e., division 1 would be made up of the eight county quarter finalists, plus the four third placed teams in the groups). Following that, promotion and relegation would determine the make-up of each division.

In terms of enhancing the competitiveness of the County Leagues and Championships, Upperchurch/Drombane are proposing all clubs pay a bond at the start of the year to reduce the possibility of conceding walkovers, while the County CCC are proposing a very stiff motion for clubs that withdraw from senior, premier intermediate, intermediate and premier junior championships, are fined €3000 and are automatically relegated. This is off the back of Drom & Inch opting out of the senior football championship last year which caused a massive impact on the competition format.

In that respect, with fourteen teams in the senior football championship in 2025, both Ardfinnan and the Tipperary Football Board have submitted similar proposals with two groups of four and one group of six (each team plays three matches), similar to this year. The only difference is that Ardfinnan propose just one team are relegated with the Football Board proposing three drop to bring the number of senior teams down to twelve for 2026 which has been the long term plan.

The Football Board are proposing that a team that gives a walkover in league or championship are deducted a point in the table, on top of the match being awarded to the opposing team and a fine.

In terms of making it more difficult for clubs to pull out of championships in the top three grades, the Football Board are proposing that a club cannot field an adult team in football for two years, and when they do decide to re-enter, they must come back in at the grade they left, rather than a lower one.

The Football Board are also proposing that a club that has a senior or premier intermediate hurling team, can, at minimum, field only at junior ‘A’ level in football.

They are also proposing promotion and relegation for their football leagues with six teams in each division, while Ballylooby/Castlegrace are proposing the league starts in early March before the hurling league, while they are also looking for the Junior ‘A’ football quarter finals to be played on senior football semi-finals weekend to free up more time as the competition winners do not go into Munster.