Offaly GAA championships formats agreed as decision deferred on winner on the day rule

THE Offaly GAA adult championships format for 2023 were agreed at a meeting of the County Board on Tuesday night.

The football and hurling championships will be more or less on the same format as last year with the significant change that the U-20 football and hurling will both be on a league basis.

Previously knockout competitions, each club will now get three games before the knockout stages. Vice chairman James Murphy explained that a very real desire for more games at this level emerged at a club forum to discuss the structures.

There will, however, be a knock on effect. Assistant secretary Christy Todd stated that they were aware of the increased load for players at this age, many of whom would also be playing for their adult team. Stating that it would result in 12 games for six weeks if the championships were run as normal, he revealed that they will be trying to factor in a separate window for the group phase of the U-20 championships when drawing up their fixtures plan in the coming weeks.

The increased volume of games was referred to during a debate on a rule that all quarter-finals and semi-finals must have a winner on the day with a penalty shootout following extra time if that doesn't determine a result.

Ferbane's Eamon Flynn argued against that, stating that there was a big gap between the Offaly finals and Leinster club games this year. However, James Murphy explained that Leinster Council had changed their fixtures schedule after Offaly had drawn up their plan while some clubs received byes in the first round.

Several other delegates agreed that penalties was not a good way to finish games but felt there was no option with the volume of games to be played and the tight schedule – Christy Todd stated that the inter-county season will be extended next year, resulting in less time. There were suggestions that an extra ten minutes extra time be played on top of the initial 20 minutes or that a golden score rule be implemented.

Eventually, it was agreed to defer a decision on it until January when the board know the provincial and national fixtures plans.

The championship formats were agreed with the provision that divisional/group teams will be accomodated and that increased numbers would result in revised structures. Christy Todd told delegates that only intermediate and junior clubs can combine for divisional, group or parish teams and that senior B teams can't be part of these. A group team can compete in either the senior “B” or senior championships, depending on their strength.

Mr Todd also revealed that there is nothing to stop teams coming together from any part of the county and disparate locations but they have to get agreement at a County Board meeting.

Apart from that, there was no debate on the structures as they were passed unanimously.

The Senior, Senior “B”, Intermediate and Junior Football Championships will all consist of eight teams, divided into two groups of four. The county finalists and beaten semi-finalists are seeded in senior – and it is the team relegated from the higher grade and the beaten finalist with the semi-finalists in the other champinships. The top team in each group will qualify for the semi-finals with the second and third teams criss crossing in two quarter-finalists while there will be a relegation play off between the bottom team in each group.

The Junior “B” and “C” Football Championships will be on a league basis but the exact format will be determined by the entries – the “C” championship will be 13-a-side.

The system is similar in hurling. There are 10 teams in the Senior Hurling Championship and it will be two groups of five with the same seeding and knockout arrangements as football – the 5th and 6th teams, 7th and 8th teams and 9th team and promoted team from this year will also be seeded.

There are six teams in the Senior “B” Hurling Championship and they are all in one group with the top four qualifying for semi-finals where 1 will play 4 and the second and third teams meet.

The Intermediate Hurling Championship is eight teams in two groups of four while the Junior Hurling Championship is 12 teams in two groups of six. Junior “B” hurling will also be a league but again, the number of entries will determine the exact format.

The U-20 Football and Hurling Championships will have groups of not more than four, providing a minimum of three games followed by knockout games. It was agreed that winner on the day will apply in these grades.