The GAA’s new football structure proposal is not perfect but has the potential to “invigorate the championship”, according to director-general Páraic Duffy.
Last year the organisation considered 19 different proposals on championship reform but none gained significant support, said Duffy, who today released a more detailed document on the changes, which would come into effect for 2018 if carried at Congress in February.
The proposal seeks to replace the quarter-final stage of the Championship with a round-robin contested by the four provincial champions and the four round 4 qualifier winners.
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There would be two groups of four teams where each team would play one game at home, one game away from home and one game at Croke Park.
The teams that finish in the top two positions in each group qualify for the semi-finals, where extra-time will be played if necessary.
In additional, extra-time would be played in all games, with the exceptions of finals.
"No one is claiming that this is the perfect solution," Duffy said.
"But it does have the potential to invigorate the championship and at the same time to restore a better balance between club and inter-county fixtures.
Under the proposals, the All-Ireland Senior Hurling final would be played in mid-August with both football semi-finals a week later and the final being held a fortnight after that.
"The proposal outlined in this document seeks to present a modest medium-term adjustment to the championship"
While the proposal would see six additional inter-county games during the year, as the Allianz League semi-finals would be scrapped, it is aimed at providing more time for club championships to be played out.
He said: “The proposal outlined in this document seeks to present a modest medium-term adjustment to the championship format that would produce a more exciting senior football championship…and in a way that would have a positive effect on the playing of county club championships.”
The detailed document also seeks to answer some of the criticism that followed the initial announcement, including the charge that the new system would benefit so-called stronger counties.
Duffy said: “On this issue we must listen to the clearly expressed view of counties in lower divisions, who are adamant that they would prefer to play within the present qualifier system against higher-ranked opposition than playing in a second-tier championship competition.”
Last week president Aogán Ó Fearghail urged counties not to rush to judgement and to consider carefully before voting.
