WHEN A PROPOSAL to split the GAA season between inter-county and club came before the 2021 Annual Congress, there was no opposition. It passed by acclaim.
It stipulated that the All-Ireland inter-county senior finals will from 2022 be played on or before the 29th Sunday of the year. The Covid campaigns provided a rough guide as to what it would all look like but that was clouded by the relief at just having games.
Since then there has been criticism of the new schedule on one hand while GAA president Larry McCarthy has insisted it is too early to make judgements.
“Let it run and let’s (see) what the implications of it are. You can’t make decisions midstream,” he said last June.
“It’s the impact of the split season. We’ll know at the end of the year what it looks like this year. We’ll know next year what it’ll look like with an increased volume of games and then we’ll be able to make an informed decision.”
What does it mean for the senior club player? How have county boards taken advantage of the new calendar? As evident below, in several different ways. Some elected to run off their championship in the height of summer, others have changed little and will kick off in September.
In Munster, Waterford elected to run their hurling championship first. In Leinster, Wexford and Carlow are doing similar.
MUNSTER
- Clare – Senior hurling 23 July; Senior football 6 August.
- Cork – Senior football 22-24 July; Senior hurling 29-31 July.
- Kerry – Football club championships (31 July/7 August) – county championships (10/11 September); Senior hurling final (Ballyduff v Causeway, 7 August).
- Limerick – Senior hurling 28-30 July; Senior football 30 June-1 July.
- Tipperary – Senior hurling 22-24 July; Senior football 30-31 July.
- Waterford – Senior hurling 28-31 July; Senior football to commence after senior hurling final.
Despite their senior footballers exiting the All-Ireland championship in June, Mayo’s senior football championship start date is still a month away.
Galway’s club championship was due to start in mid-July but was pushed back after their senior footballers run to the All-Ireland final.
CONNACHT
- Galway – Senior hurling 29-31 July; Senior football 06-07 August
- Mayo – Senior hurling 12 August; Senior football 2-4 September
- Sligo – Senior hurling 18 June; Senior football 12-14 August
- Leitrim – Senior football 12-14 August
- Roscommon – Senior hurling 03 July; Senior football 05-07 August
In Ulster, Tyrone still have five rounds of league football left before their club championship starts in September. Only one county, Antrim, has commenced their senior football championship so far.
- Antrim – Senior football 31 July; Senior hurling 5-6 August.
- Armagh – Senior football (preliminary round) 27 August and (first round) 9-11 September; Senior hurling 9 August.
- Cavan – Senior football 12-14 August; Senior hurling 7 September.
- Derry – Senior hurling 22 July; Senior football 10 August.
- Donegal – Senior football 13-14 August; Senior hurling (Setanta won county final on 30 July).
- Down – Senior football 25-29 August; Senior hurling 7 August.
- Fermanagh – Senior football 9-11 September; Hurling 2 August.
- Monaghan – Senior football 6-7 August; Senior hurling final (Castleblayney v Carrickmacross) 28 August.
- Tyrone – Senior football 22-26 September
In Leinster, Carlow and Louth are already at the senior hurling county final stage. Wexford’s semi-finals are scheduled for this Sunday.
LEINSTER
- Louth – Senior football 21 August; Senior hurling 07 July (Knockbridge HC vs St Fechins county final this Sunday)
- Meath – Senior football 05-07 August; Senior hurling 01 July
- Westmeath –Senior hurling 23 July; Senior football 15-17 July
- Dublin – Senior football 06 August; Senior hurling 16 July
- Kildare – Senior football 23 July; Senior hurling 25 June
- Longford – Senior football 29-31 July; Senior hurling 20 July
- Laois – Senior football 21-24 July; Senior hurling 14-16 July
- Offaly – Senior hurling 24-25 June; Senior football 15-16 July
- Kilkenny – Senior hurling 30-31 July (League start date, placings feed into championship); Senior football 24 April
- Wicklow – Senior hurling 16-17 July; Senior football 30-31 July
- Wexford – Senior hurling 28-31 June; Senior football to commence after senior hurling final
- Carlow – Senior hurling 17 June (Bagenalstown Gaels vs St Mullins county final this Sunday); Senior football August 20
