New System Proposals

The (Inter County) Senior Hurling Championships:

Ø Macha (top twelve) will be made up of:

o Platform [1st three matches]

o Pivot: Quarter- Finals

o Podium: Semi finals and Final.

o Dal Riada teams can play more matches because they don't have as big a club structure as Mocha teams and the extra rounds they play will be called Intercalated Rounds. [ICR1, ICR2 etc.]

Ø Financially, each of the Three Provinces should fare out well; they will have two semi finals with Provincial finals and 3rd/4th Play off ("Ducks") matches giving a total of four.

Ø Additionally, each province will have at least two of the Eights- Final matches and probably Quarter-Finals; thus giving a total of seven or even eight matches to be played in Provinces (excluding Croke Park).

Ø The new set-up will allow for the same interval between matches for all Macha teams, over a two-year average i.e. four weeks in Platform ( up to Quarter - Final) and those that go on to Podium will have similar breaks to their peers.

o All teams will play the same number of games..

Ø With no replays before Podium, the vital question of how, when contests are level at the end of normal time, will be resolved. [This will be explained later.]

Ø This set up will allow for club championship matches to proceed unhindered by inter county considerations during the Platform and Pivot stages.

Ø Year two of operation, should see an end to the tug-of-war between club and county commitments; as club championship and club league matches will be fixed the previous autumn, along with inter- county championships.

Part Two >>>>

Part Three >>>>