Ex-GAA president Sean Kelly says a tiered football championship is long overdue, but would need TV coverage in order to succeed.

Speaking to the Irish News, the Kerry-based MEP - who introduced the ill-fated Tommy Murphy in 2004 and whose club Kilcummin are in All-Ireland club IFC final action this weekend - stated: "I don't understand why we haven't introduced a tiered championship long ago.

"Sixteen years ago, I introduced the Tommy Murphy Cup. It was a secondary competition. I felt if it was given the proper profile, the proper presentation that it certainly could do something.

"It should be a championship in itself and it should have been introduced long ago, otherwise counties will only be cannon fodder.

"You can bet you life 20 counties or more will never win the All-Ireland. If you applied the same logic of the inter-county championship to the club championship, all the smaller counties would be swallowed up and forgotten about. 

"There should be a tiered championship, provided it's properly promoted with television coverage and the rewards that go with it."

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