CCCC chairperson Brian Carroll. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
By Cian O’Connell
Before the All-Ireland Championships concluded in July, the planning and plotting for inter-county action in 2025 had commenced.
Brian Carroll is chairperson of the CCCC and acknowledges that significant time and energy must be invested to prepare the Master Fixtures Plan for the upcoming campaign. “There is a lot of work that goes into compiling the fixtures and putting the fixtures programme together for 2025,” Carroll says.
“The CCCC starts by reviewing the previous year, which included feedback from counties and discussion with Central Council. Then, the committee works on pulling thecCalendar together.
Once we have the calendar sorted, we put the fixtures together, we send them out to the counties, and we liaise with the counties regarding any requests they may have, to try to facilitate everyone as best as we can.
“There are so many moving pieces for different reasons - swapping days from Saturday to Sunday, time requests, TV requests have to be taken into it, too. So, all of those have a huge knock-on effect, and that is where we are at the moment.”
With the Allianz Leagues in both codes starting on the same January 25/26, five double weekends will be on the agenda, due to the new format of the Allianz Hurling League. “We've had to keep an eye on that, where we might have two county teams playing on the same day, we try to avoid it if we can, but it isn't always possible,” Carroll explains.
“With all of the different teams involved it isn't always possible to make sure there isn't a clash. “We've five double rounds in the league, there is a lot involved in that, and it includes the finals round. We have over 220 fixtures over nine weekends with 67 teams involved, which includes nearly 55 TV games with our broadcast partners, RTE, TG4, and BBC.”
Since February Roscommon native Carroll has chaired the CCCC and is thoroughly enjoying the experience. “It is very interesting, issues will arise that you never suspect happen,” Carroll responds.
“When you're not involved at this level, you just wait until this time of the year, you see the fixtures coming out, you look at them on the sheet, and say that is grand, it looks handy enough.
“People don't realise the work that goes on behind the scenes with the committee in the CCC, and particularly, Bernard Smith and Fergal McGill in Croke Park, who put huge work into it, too. There is a lot of moving pieces in the jigsaw, and a lot of work has to go in to ensure we get to this stage.”
Kerry's David Clifford in action against Derry in the All-Ireland SFC Quarter-Finals at Croke Park. Photo by John Sheridan/Sportsfile
It is a source of pride that only six red card penalties out of 94 were lifted during 2024, with 59 accepted. “When you consider that we had more than 400 games in that period, there has only been that many lifted, it is massive,” Carroll says.
“You had so many red cards and different issues, but we try to work in the process as well as we can, to make sure everything is done properly. It is a big change that we're down to that kind of a level of discipline. When you have 400 games, you're always going to have issues arising, there is question about that, but we've definitely made good progress.”
A collaborative approach is helpful, but Carroll wants to ensure that players are always treated fairly. “Ourselves, the Central Hearings Committee, and the Central Appeals Committee, we have to work together, we have to respect each other’s decisions, and respect each other’s process,” Carroll says.
“That is what happens. We feel that from when the referee makes a decision on the pitch, we feel our process is to obviously propose the penalty, and we feel that the players are getting a fair process with it.
“Then, of course, it goes to the appeals and hearings, where we feel it is a fair process. So, that is what it is about. Once a player gets a fair process, they're happy enough with that.”
As Roscommon GAA chairperson, Carroll is relishing the new inter-county season and highlights the detail that is required to ensure the Allianz Leagues run smoothly. “You've your slots, you've nine weekends from the end of January until the end of March, it is helter skelter,” Carroll remarks.
“It is going fairly quick. It is so tight, you're trying to get so many games played and fixtures sorted. There is so little ground and room for slippage or a back log to happen, that you've to try to stay ahead of it, always, to make sure counties are getting a chance to play the games.
“If you run into trouble with postponed games, it can be hard to catch up with it. We're looking forward to it, with a huge weekend to open the football.
“You've massive games, Galway v Armagh, Derry v Kerry, and Dublin v Mayo. Those games make it a great way to start the league.”