Leinster GAA will continue to give counties extra two weeks to complete championships
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Leinster GAA will continue to give its counties an extra two weeks to complete their championships after the initiative was warmly received in its first season.
Although the conclusion of the province’s 2025 competitions will be pushed back by a week, counties will again be permitted to finish up as late as the first weekend in November.
The decision by the competitions control committee on the advice of its fixture analysis body chaired by Joe Daly allowed counties the provision of final replays as well as re-fixture of finals in the event of bad weather.
As a result, both the Longford and Westmeath football deciders went to second days instead of a winner being revealed either in extra-time or after penalties.
As well as providing a gate receipt bonus to those counties, it allowed them to ascertain their champions by fairer means.
Westmeath were also able to reschedule their senior hurling final ahead of the Leinster club SHC due to unplayable conditions.
Allowing more club players to line out longer into the new year was the main objective in cutting back on the Leinster schedule of championship fixtures.
While there was a fixtures pile-up for Wexford dual club Castletown Liam Mellows last month after they won two county championships, the measure has largely been a winner for counties.
“There was a high percentage of players out of the championship early in the calendar year with only a smaller number remaining," said Daly.
“We as a committee came up with the idea of giving back two weeks to the counties. There were risks with dual clubs, the likes of Naas and Kilmacud Crokes, going far into both Leinster championships and it being difficult for dual players.
“Croke Park had been booked for the senior finals (on December 1) so that was our deadline and we worked back from that.
"While we did get caught in one or two situations, people were generally happy that counties got the chance to play their championships over a more meaningful period with the possibility of final replays.”
Daly believes fixtures analysts in Leinster counties have been encouraged to detect how and why games aren’t being played.
“We focused heavily on the fixture analysts in the counties to try and align them and get them thinking the same way.
“In some counties, on paper they had opportunity to play games but what we found was games weren’t being played or being postponed or walkovers were given.
“We had to hone in on why that was happening and the fixtures analysts in those counties have been honing in on it.
"They are now empowered, delivering to the annual conventions in Leinster and they are showing where improvements can be made.”
Meanwhile, the GAA has fixed no Allianz Football League games for St Patrick’s Day, which falls on a Monday in 2025.
The penultimate round of the competition takes place that Bank Holiday weekend but all 16 matches are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.
This past season, 26 of 33 matches were moved from St Patrick’s Day, which took place on a Sunday, to the previous day.
The Croke and Hogan Cup finals are down for decision in Croke Park on the national holiday next year.