Seeded draw won’t benefit weaker counties

Comment

FOLLOWING the runaway wins of Cork and Kerry over Limerick and Tipperary in last weekend’s Munster Senior Football Championship first-round games, there has been much discussion about the championship format.
While Cork and Kerry were expected to win, the size of their winning margins is what is causing concern. Indeed, the winning margins of both teams could have been much greater, such was their dominance on the day.
Clare followers are fearful their side will suffer a similar fate when they face Cork on June 16 in Ennis.
That there must be a serious examination of the current format is obvious but suggestions coming from provincial officials in Munster that a return to the seeded draw, whereby Cork and Kerry are placed on opposite sides of the draw each year, is surely not the solution.
After many years of trying, Miltown Malbay man Noel Walsh succeeded in getting a motion passed, which led to the introduction of the open draw in the Munster Football Championship.
It was a change that traditionalists did not support and they have, over the years, tried to get the format changed back.
Income from GAA games has dropped over the past couple of years and the indications are this trend will continue for the foreseeable future, due to the current economic difficulties.
Some GAA officials are arguing that Munster Council’s income will improve with a return to the seeded draw, which would strengthen the chances of a Cork v Kerry Munster final annually.
Surely any change of format should focus on improving the fortunes of the weaker counties not just in Munster but in all provinces. It’s time to look at introducing a B championship.
In hurling, the Lory Meagher, Nicky Rackard and Christy Ring cups are providing lots of competition for the weaker hurling counties and surely the time has come to consider a similar format in football.
The Tommy Murphy Cup was discontinued after a couple of seasons because of an apparent lack of interest from some counties.
However, if such a competition was organised earlier in the season, with the winners getting into the championship, it would lead to an upsurge in interest in such a competition.
Munster Council is expected to discuss the matter shortly when, hopefully, consideration will be given to a championship format similar to what is in hurling at present.