A general view of Croke Park as the two teams parade behind the Artane Band ahead the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final match between Armagh and Galway at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile.
By John Harrington
Writing in his Annual Report, GAA Ard Stiúrthóir Tom Ryan expressed his view that a GAA season split with a distinct delineation between the Club and County game is, “fundamentally correct, but it’s clear that some modifications are required.”
He suggests that starting the Allianz Leagues earlier in the year or pushing the All-Ireland Finals back by a week or two are ideas that merit debate.
“I know that opinions are still divided, as well, on the summer All-Ireland final dates,” wrote Ryan in his Annual Report.
“Of course they make for a congested season, and a very pressurised seven months for players, and officials. Perhaps our media profile, and even attendances, are curtailed as well. I acknowledge that there are drawbacks.
“The payoff is a strong bond between the club and county game, and the necessary breathing space for the club game to flourish and some fixture certainty for all players. I think that makes the shape worthwhile. As with everything it’s a matter of compromise and balance.
“There is a gathering mood to shuffle the finals back by a week or two, and that may well transpire in the future. Stretching the season out a little would be no bad thing - but I don’t foresee a return to September.
“A further opportunity to stretch the season might well present itself at the other end of things, in January. Perhaps the suspension of the Provincial Pre-Season competitions could point to starting the Allianz Leagues a little earlier in future?”
“It’s probably too early to reach conclusions around this yet. 2025 is just a trial and the competitions are still on hold. But it merits debate.
“There are a lot of good ideas in isolation, but the lesson from the extensive discussion paper provided by the Central Competitions Control Committee on potential Championship Structures, is that it is extremely difficult – if not outright impossible – to accommodate in a single structure everything we would like to achieve.”
The 2025 GAA Annual Report can be viewed HERE and also viewed and downloaded below.