The GAA has confirmed that it's All-Ireland finals will take place in December this year.
Ireland's Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) has today published its roadmap for completing the 2020 season that has been drastically impacted by coronavirus.
The All-Ireland Hurling Final will take place Sunday, December 13 and the All-Ireland Football Final will take place on Saturday, December 19.
For the first time since 2000, the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship will be "pure knock-out." New York will not be involved in the Connacht Championship this year, and London’s involvement will be dependent on the travel situation between England and Ireland.
Speaking today, John Horan, the president of the GAA, said: "It was very much a challenge of our CCCC, but, in fairness, they've done great work to get the blend of all our different competitions together into the timeframe that was presented to them.
"It has been a huge achievement and they have to be complimented for it."
Feargal McGill, the GAA's Director of Player, Club, and Games Administration said today: "The big thing is we're keeping an eye on 2021 as well. So if you went into January, February with your championships, it causes mayhem for 2021.
"I suppose we wanted to minimise the damage, for want of a better word, that Covid has done to the GAA and done to our fixtures. It's like pulling off a plaster, get it done as quickly as you can and try to get back to normal as soon as you can.
"We will be coming back obviously with a 2021 Master Fixtures Plan later in the year and I think it'll make more sense then as to why we did what we did. We're still probably going to have to compromise a bit around the 2021 calendar.
"But if you went into January and February, you have to build in a rest period after the All-Ireland finals are over. So really if you're talking about playing an All-Ireland final in February you're talking about not being able to restart until March or April and the knock-on effect of that would obviously be a negative one for clubs. So that was at the centre of our thinking as well."
The GAA published the following arrangements on June 26 based on the recommendations of CCCC that were endorsed by An Coiste Bainistíochta yesterday, June 25.
Competition regulations dealing with venues, promotion/relegation, and dates for games have yet to be finalised and will be finalised by the CCCC in the coming weeks.
While the draws for the Ring and Rackard Cup have been made, the draw for the Musnter and Leinster hurling championships will take place tonight, June 26, on the RTE 6 One News.
2020 Inter-County Roadmap Proposals
Football Senior Inter-County Championships
Football Championship to revert to Provincial Knock-out – New York will not be involved; London will be involved pending travel restrictions*
No qualifiers in 2020*
Tailteann Cup to be postponed until 2021*
Hurling Senior Inter-County Championships
Liam Mac Carthy Hurling Championship to revert to straight knock out provincial championship – 2 Round back door with All-Ireland Quarter finals*(structure at bottom of document)
New draw to be made for Leinster and Munster SH Championships (Draws to be made on Friday, June 26th)
Mc Donagh Cup to stay round-robin; winner promoted to Mac Carthy Championship for 2021
- No entry to 2020 All Ireland Hurling Championship for Mc Donagh Finalists*
- Issue of what happens for 2021 Mac Carthy Championship should Kerry win the Mc Donagh Cup will be dealt with in final competition regulations
Ring, Rackard to be straight knock-out; beaten quarter-finalists enter Relegation semis; new draw required (format is below)*
Meagher to retain existing format*
Participation of the Overseas Units from England in Ring, Rackard and Meagher Cups will have to be on the basis of all games being in Ireland (Football and Hurling); it is also based on no travel restrictions in place between Ireland and Britain *
(If it is not possible for overseas units to participate, alternative structures will be confirmed for the Ring, Rackard and Meagher Competitions and in particular in relation to Promotion, Relegation and the impact on the Leinster Council’s Hurling Championship motion passed at Congress 2020)
Games in Provincial Championships will be week on week in many cases*
Finish on the Day (i.e. Extra Time, Penalties) to be introduced in all inter-county knock out games including, the All-Ireland Finals at all levels (Senior, U20, Minor etc.)*
Finish on the day for all inter-county competitions in 2020 will be: 2 x 10mins of extra time; if still level, straight to penalties (as per Central Council Regulations)*
No Junior Football in 2020
Football and Hurling Leagues
Rounds 6 and 7 of Allianz Football Leagues to be completed – top team in each Division is League winner for that Division*
Football League finals will not be played*
Finals in Division 2 and 3 Hurling only to be completed*
Div 1 Hurling League Quarter, Semi and Finals will not be played – Limerick are declared Division 1a and Clare Division 1b Champions for 2020*
U20 Football and Hurling
U20 Football Semis and Final to be completed*
U20 Hurling to be played concurrently with Senior Hurling Championships; no All Ireland semi-finals; Provincial Champions meet in All Ireland final – C.C.C.C are recommending to Management for approval: a player who plays (as a starter or sub) in the Senior Hurling Championship (Mac Carthy Cup) becomes ineligible for U20 until his Senior team has exited the Championship*
U20 B Hurling – exploring the possibility of blitz-type competition post Ring/Rackard/Meagher completion*
Club Championships
2020/2021 Provincial and All Ireland Club Championships will not take place*
Minor Football & Hurling Championships
Straight knock out – All Ireland series will not be played alongside Senior All Ireland series*
No All Ireland Quarter Finals in Minor Football or Hurling *
One All-Ireland Semi Final in Hurling – Draw has been made in advance: Galway will play Munster Champions *
2020 2nd Level Schools
C.C.C.C recommends that Competitions should be completed to Provincial Final stage only. No All Ireland Series at any level. *
*All issues marked with an asterisk above require deviation from existing Rules
Knock-out Hurling Championships Leinster & Munster
Format: 1 x Provincial Quarter Final, 2 x Semi-Finals, Provincial Finals (Draw specifics to be confirmed by the Provinces)
Qualifiers:
RD1 DRAW:
- 6 teams that do not make the Provincial Finals placed in a draw
- First 4 teams drawn meet in Rd1; These to include BOTH defeated Provincial Quarterfinalists.
- Bowl 1 – Leinster Teams; Bowl 2 - Munster Teams
- 2 Leinster drawn to play 2 Munster; (1 Leinster & 1 Munster receive bye to Rd 2)
RD2 DRAW:
- 2 Bye Teams plus 2 Rd 1 winners in a bowl
- 2 fixtures drawn – subject to avoidance of repeat pairings where possible
All Ireland Quarter-Finals:
- Bowl 1 – Beaten Provincial Finalists; Bowl 2 – Rd 2 Winners
- 2 fixtures drawn – subject to avoidance of repeat pairings where possible
All Ireland Semi-Finals:
- Subject to beaten provincial finalists not meeting the Provincial Champions from their province; and also subject to avoidance of repeat pairings where possible
All-Ireland Semi-Finals and All-Ireland Final
New Ring & Rackard Format
Draw for four quarter-finals
– 4 winners to semis and 2 teams on to final (Ring: both finalists promoted; Rackard: only winner promoted)
- 4 losers to Relegation semis in both
- Ring Cup: Relegation final with loser relegated to Rackard
- Rackard Cup: Relegation Semi Final losers are both relegated to Meagher in 2021; Relegation Final losers are also in Meagher in 2021; Relegation final winners to stay in Rackard.
- Meagher winners are promoted to Rackard Cup for 2021.
If it is not possible for overseas units to participate, the Ring, Rackard and Meagher Competition structures will be reviewed and C.C.C.C will be seeking a temporary deferral of the Leinster Council’s Hurling Championship motion passed at Congress 2020. Participation will be on the basis that all games are in Ireland.
Knock-out Football Championship
Munster, Connacht, Ulster & Leinster Championships (draws already made)
Prelim Rounds:
- USFC - Monaghan v Cavan
- LSFC - Carlow v Offaly, Wexford v Wicklow, Louth v Longford
Quarter-Finals:
- USFC - Donegal v Tyrone, Derry v Armagh, Mon/Cav v Antrim, Fermanagh v Down
- LSFC - Carlow/Offaly v Kildare, Wex/Wick v Meath, Louth/Longford v Laois, Westmeath v Dublin
- CSFC - London v Roscommon, Leitrim v Mayo
- MSFC – Waterford v Limerick, Clare v Tipperary
Semi-Finals:
- USFC - Donegal/Tyrone v Derry/Armagh – Mon/Cav/Antrim v Fermanagh/Down
- LSFC - Leinster- Draw to be made
- CSFC - Leitrim/Mayo v London/Roscommon; Galway v Sligo
- MSFC – Waterford/Limerick v Clare/Tipp and Cork v Kerry
Munster (November 22), Connacht (November 14), Ulster (November 22), and Leinster (November 21) Finals
All Ireland Semi-Finals (December 5 & December 6) and Final (December 19)
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