A GAA Special Congress sat at Croke Park on Saturday morning to discuss motions which would have a major impact on the future of inter-county hurling.
The main attraction of the day was a vote on several motions regarding a new format for the hurling championship. Central Council, Cork, Dublin, Tipperary and a trio of Laois, Offaly and Meath all put forward their own suggestions.
After a ballot of delegates, the CCCC/Ard Chomhairle motion received 90 votes, enough to see it through to a general vote where it went up against the status quo.
62% of delegates voted in favour of the Central Council motion meaning that from next year - on a three-year trial basis - there will be a major change to the hurling championship.
Main points of new hurling structure:
- The Central Council motion restricts the All-Ireland Hurling Championship to ten teams. Five in Munster and five in Leinster.
- Each provincial championship will be played off on a round-robin basis with teams having two home games and two away games. The top two in each provincial group will contest to their respective finals.
- The provincial winners will, as currently happens, progress straight to the All-Ireland semi-final.
- The losing provincial finalists will progress to the All-Ireland quarter-finals.
- The teams which finish third in each province will face the finalists of a new Tier 2 Championship in a preliminary All-Ireland quarter-final. This was voted in by an amendment from Laois, Offaly and Meath.
- There will also be promotion and relegation between the new Tier 2 Championship and the Liam MacCarthy Cup. The team which wins the Tier 2 Championship will have the chance to be promoted to the Liam MacCarthy Cup.
