Clare chairman issues a warning to Munster Council

CLARE GAA chairman Michael McDonagh this week warned the provincial council that any move by them to change from the open draw for the provincial championship will be resisted strongly by Clare.

CLARE GAA chairman Michael McDonagh this week warned the provincial council that any move by them to change from the open draw for the provincial championship will be resisted strongly by Clare.

“As chairman of Clare GAA, it has come to my notice that some people within Munster Council are questioning the present Munster football draw format. It appears there may be a move on to change from the current open draw and return to a seeded version,” the Clare chairman told The Clare Champion.

There has been much speculation in recent weeks that a move will be made to revert to the situation where Cork and Kerry will be seeded in senior football each year. Indeed, the idea of having a round-robin involving Clare, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford from which two would emerge to be drawn against ‘the big two’ for semi-finals has been floated.

One of the reasons being offered for such a change is to boost finances with supporters of this view arguing the council’s revenue has dropped when Cork and Kerry didn’t meet in the provincial final.

Clare, however, will not support such a move, according to McDonagh.

“My own Miltown clubman, Noel Walsh, fought long and hard to ensure the open draw would be introduced and there can be no move by Munster away from this, otherwise football in the weaker counties will be destroyed. I don’t have an issue with some form of tweaking to the format but the open draw has to remain. Clare will vigorously fight any proposal to change from that,” McDonagh warned.

Munster Council are expected to review their games programme in August or September but informal talks have, it seems been taking place about a return to the seeded draw for the senior football competition.