A MOTION PROPOSING a split season in the GAA has been passed by acclaim at Congress, with All-Ireland finals set to take place in July from 2022.

Motion 12 states that the GAA season would be split “between inter-county and club by stipulating that the All-Ireland senior finals should be played on or before the 29th Sunday of the year.”

The motion also empowers Central Council to make other arrangements for the format in “exceptional circumstances.” This comes into effect during the Covid-19 pandemic, as it is not possible to play an All-Ireland final on the 29th Sunday of the year in 2021.

This means the new format is scheduled to happen in 2022.

A split season was implemented last year due to the pandemic, and was well received by GAA fans as the club season was given priority at the start of the year and was followed by the inter-county campaign.

The 2021 GAA Congress is being held via video conference, with 48 motions to be discussed in total although 10 of them are to be deferred to a Special Congress later in the year.

Earlier today, a motion regarding online anti-doping education for inter-county players was also passed.

Motion 10 was brought to Congress by the GPA, and proposes that players must complete an online anti-doping education course in order to be eligible to play in the national league and championship. 

Players who don’t comply with this rule will face a one-match suspension. 

GPA CEO Paul Flynn spoke in favour of the rule in his address at Congress, and the motion was subsequently passed by acclaim.

Elsewhere, it was decided that joint-captains will no longer be allowed to accept a trophy on behalf of their team after Motion 7 was passed.

A single captain must accept the trophy from now on.