Next Sunday is the first of September and traditionally the first Sunday in September was the date for the All-Ireland hurling final in Croke Park. But how things have changed in the GAA in recent years; this year’s hurling final was played on July 21, over a month ago.
GAA spectators are definitely not keen on this split season, but it looks like the club players are happy and we have always been told that the club is the “bedrock of the Association.” According to the Gaelic Players Association 85 per cent of the players are happy with the split season.
Brendan Behan famously said that ‘‘the split is the first item on the agenda’’ and there is definitely a split in the GAA when it comes to arranging dates for All-Ireland finals. Former Kerry star Pat Spillane has been an outspoken critic of the split season pointing out that under this current system there are no inter-county games from the end of July until January. Club games are important, but it’s the inter-county games that attract most publicity for the GAA. That publicity comes from the media and from non-GAA people who might watch big games on television or attend games also.
GAA president Jarlath Burns is aware of the unhappiness among GAA supporters with the split-season, but he has pointed out that the clubs need 14 weeks to play their county championships, maybe more time in counties who are strong in hurling and football. Burns, who admitted during the summer that there was a lack of “jeopardy” in many of the football Round Robin football games, has said the All-Ireland hurling and football finals might be pushed back to August, but a return to September is unlikely, for now.
An alternative to the current All-Ireland football format will be discussed at the GAA’s Central Council meeting on Sept. 7. The format, which has been used in a number of counties with 16-team championships in recent years, has generated the most consensus in a consultation process with counties that has now concluded. The proposed format would have 27 games, eight less than the current round-robin format. We should know more about the new plan and the provisional calendar for 2025 after the meeting on Sept. 7.
