There is 'radical' change coming to the All-Ireland Hurling Championship according to The Sunday Times.
Denis Walsh reports that hurling will likely follow football in the adoption of a group stage.
Rather than at the All-Ireland quarter-final stage where football has chosen to install its groups with the 'Super 8' format, hurling's could be at the provincial Championship stage.
The new format is part of a proposal from the GAA.
The main points:
- The Munster and Leinster Championships will be played on a group basis.
- Each Championship will feature five teams.
- Teams will play four games each, two home and two away.
- The top two teams in each group will contest the provincial finals.
- The teams which finish third in the groups will progress to an All-Ireland quarter-final along with the losing provincial finalists.
- Provincial winners will automatically progress to the All-Ireland semi-finals.
- The bottom two teams in each group will be eliminated from the All-Ireland Hurling Championship.
There is also likely to be a third 'developmental' group which could feature six teams. It is thought the Leinster Championship will be comprised of four teams plus one more from this development group.
The proposal is expected to be presented to Central Council in mid-June and then to a Special Congress later in the year.
One of the main beneficiaries of the new proposal could be Galway. Currently, Galway do not play home games in the Leinster Championship. If the new format is introduced it is highly likely that they would.
Picture credit: Dáire Brennan / SPORTSFILE
