Offaly Senior Hurling Championship to remain at 10 teams after objections from clubs

THE Offaly Senior Hurling Championship will remain at ten teams for the next two years at least after clubs objected to reducing it to eight at the February meeting of the County Board on Tuesday night.

Vice chairman James Murphy put forward a recommendation that it be reduced to eight teams in 2023 with two teams relegated from the 2022 Senior Hurling Championship and no one promoted from the Senior “B” Hurling Championship.

The championship had only been increased from eight to ten teams last year and Mr Murphy said the Competitions Control Committee wanted to bring it back to eight. He pointed out that there was only six teams in the Senior “B” Hurling Championship and an eight team one would be much more competitive there.

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He also stated that an eight team championship would give them the option of having all the teams in the one group and each club getting seven games, if clubs wanted that but it would not be feasible with ten teams in it.

Clubs in the Senior Hurling Championship, however, were unanimously opposed to reducing the teams with St Rynagh's, Shinrone, Lusmagh, Drumcullen, Seir Kieran, Kilcormac-Killoughey and Kinnitty delegates all arguing in favour of giving the ten team championship more time.

After the universal opposition, Mr Murphy said they would accept the wishes of clubs and not force a vote but chairman Michael Duignan promised that they would monitor results and if there was a big gap between teams, they will address it by putting an eight team championship back on the table.

The ten teams will be divided into two groups of five but there is changes from last year when the groups criss crossed and the cumulative points counted and the top four went into two semi-finals. That meant each team had five games but this year, they will play the teams in their own group. The top team in each group will qualify for the semi-finals while the second and third teams will play in two quarter-finals.

The same format has been retained for most of the other championships with the top team in each of two group qualifying for semi-finals and second and third going into quarter-finals. The championships will commence in the second half of the year, under the GAA's new split season,

The structures for the 2022 championships are:

Senior, Senior “B, Intermediate and Junior Football Championships:

8 teams.

* Two Groups of 4. Playing teams in own Group.

* Draw to decide Groups:

County finalists - one in each Group. 
Beaten semi-finalists - one in each Group. 
Two remaining teams – one in each Group.
Relegation final winners and promoted team - one in each Group. 
* Teams in each Group to be ranked 1 – 4 at the end of the league stage, in accordance with Rule 6.21 (4) T.O. 2021

* Top team in each Group to qualify for the semi-finals.

* 2nd & 3rd teams in each Group qualify for quarter-finals: 2nd team in Group 1 v 3rd team in Group 2, 3rd team in Group 1 v 2nd team in Group 2.

* Draw for semi-finals with top teams in each Group seeded.

* Relegation: Bottom team in each Group play-off. Where sides are level at the end of normal time, extra-time and Winner on the Day (Where necessary) will apply.

* Venues to be arranged by the CCC.

* Quarter-finals: Where sides are level at the end of normal time, extra-time and Winner on the Day (Where necessary) will apply.

* Semi-finals: Where sides are level at the end of normal time, extra-time and Winner on the Day (Where necessary) will apply.

* Final: Where sides are level at the end of normal time, a replay will take place within 7 days.

* Final Replay: Where sides are level at the end of normal time, extra-time and Winner on the Day (Where necessary) will apply.

Junior “B” and “C” Football Championships

Number of teams and groups to be based on confirmed entries. Junior “C” will be 13-a-side irrespective of number of players available.

U-20 Football Championship

Knockout.

Senior Hurling Championship

* 10 teams.

* Two Groups of 5. Playing teams in own Group.

* Draw to decide groups:

County finalists - one in each group. 
Beaten semi-finalists - one in each group. 
5th & 6th teams – one in each Group
7th & 8th teams – one in each Group. 
9th team & promoted team - one in each group. 
* Teams in each Group to be ranked 1 – 5 at the end of the league stage, in accordance with Rule 6.21 (4) T.O. 2021

* Top team in each Group to qualify for the semi-finals.

* 2nd & 3rd teams in each Group qualify for quarter-finals: 2nd team in Group 1 v 3rd team in Group 2, 3rd team in Group 1 v 2nd team in Group 2.

* Draw for semi-finals with top teams in each Group seeded.

* Relegation: Bottom team in each Group play-off. Where sides are level at the end of normal time, extra-time and Winner on the Day (Where necessary) will apply.

* Venues to be arranged by the CCC.

* Quarter-finals: Where sides are level at the end of normal time, extra-time and Winner on the Day (Where necessary) will apply.

* Semi-finals: Where sides are level at the end of normal time, extra-time and Winner on the Day (Where necessary) will apply.

* Final: Where sides are level at the end of normal time, a replay will take place within 7 days.

* Final Replay: Where sides are level at the end of normal time, extra-time and Winner on the Day (Where necessary) will apply.

Senior “B” Hurling Championship

* 6 teams

* One Group of 6 teams.

* Top 4 teams to qualify for semi-finals: 1 v 4, 2 v 3.

* Promotion: Final winner.

* Relegation: 5h & 6th teams play-off for relegation. Where sides are level at the end of normal time, extra-time and Winner on the Day (Where necessary) will apply.

* Semi-finals: Where sides are level at the end of normal time, extra-time and Winner on the Day (Where necessary) will apply.

* Final: Where sides are level at the end of normal time, a replay will take place within 7 days.

* Final Replay: Where sides are level at the end of normal time, extra-time and Winner on the Day (Where necessary) will apply.

Intermediate Hurling Championship

* 8 teams.

* Two Groups of 4. Playing teams in own Group.

* Draw to decide Groups:

Losing county finalist and relegated Senior B team - one in each Group. 
Beaten semi-finalists - one in each group 
Two remaining teams – one in each Group
Relegation final winners and promoted team - one in each Group.
* Venues to be arranged by the CCC.

* Teams in each Group will be ranked 1 – 4 at the end of the league stage, in accordance with Rule 6.21 (4) T.O. 2020

* Top team in each Group to qualify for the semi-finals.

* 2nd & 3rd teams in each Group qualify for quarter-finals: 2nd team in Group 1 v 3rd team in Group 2, 3rd team in Group 1 v 2nd team in Group 2.

* Draw for semi-finals with top team in each Group seeded.

* Promotion: Final winner.

* Relegation: Bottom team in each Group play-off. Where sides are level at the end of normal time, extra-time and Winner on the Day (Where necessary) will apply.

* Quarter-finals: Where sides are level at the end of normal time, extra-time and Winner on the Day (Where necessary) will apply.

* Semi-final: Where sides are level at the end of normal time, extra-time and Winner on the Day (Where necessary) will apply.

* Final: Where sides are level at the end of normal time, a replay will take place within 7 days.

* Final Replay: Where sides are level at the end of normal time, extra-time and Winner on the Day (Where necessary) will apply.

Junior and Junior “B” Championship

Number of teams and groups to be confirmed on entries.

U-20 Hurling Championship

Knockout.