by Alan Clynch

In January of this year club delegates voted for a wholesale change of the club football championships only to reverse that decision two months later. We look at what the football landscape might have been in 2017.

The Competitions Review Committee, under the chairmanship of Liam Keane, proposed that all adult championship grades have 16 teams. Club delegates in January backed that idea and voted that the change would be implemented over just one year, with 25-clubs to be relegated from the four top championship divisions at the end of the 2016 season.

Fast forward eight weeks to March and at a special meeting the whole proposal was thrown in the bin after a motion from Slane was backed 44 to 14 to revert to the old system. Junior and intermediate clubs were up in arms over the wholesale relegation, despite knowing that would happen when they voted in favour of the proposal in January.

Let's look at what the 2017 football championships could have looked like.

Senior football championship 2017

One club promoted from intermediate (St Colmcilles)

Three clubs relegated, the bottom team in each group (Ballinlough, Duleek-Bellewstown, Wolfe Tones)

2017 SFC: Dunboyne, Summerhill, Donaghmore-Ashbourne, Ratoath, St Patrick's, Na Fianna, Simonstown, Dunshaughlin, O'Mahony's, Moynalvey, Skryne, Seneschalstown, Gaeil Colmcille, Rathkenny, Blackhall Gaels, St Colmcilles.

Intermediate football championship 2017

Three clubs drop down from senior (Ballinlough, Duleek-Bellewstown, Wolfe Tones)

One club promoted from junior (Bective)

Five relegated from intermediate. The three bottoms teams in each group (Cortown, Longwood, Drumbaragh) and two from the three fifth placed group teams following a playoff (Kilmainham, Nobber, St Ultans)

2017 IFC: Ballinlough, Duleek-Bellewstown, Wolfe Tones, Syddan, Ballinabrackey, Ballivor, Donaghmore-Ashbourne, Dunderry, Curraha, St Michaels, Oldcastle, Walterstown, Castletown, Trim, Bective, One club from (Kilmainham, Nobber, St Ultans)

Junior football championship 2017

Five relegated from intermediate. The three bottoms teams in each group (Cortown, Longwood, Drumbaragh) and two from the three fifth placed group teams following a playoff (Kilmainham, Nobber, St Ultans)

One club promoted from junior B (St Vincent's)

Seven clubs relegated to junior B. The three bottoms teams in each group (St Brigids, Clonard and Drumconrath) plus three fifth placed group teams (Meath Hill, O'Mahony's, Simonstown) plus one of the following three fourth placed group teams following a playoff (Kilmainhamwood, Wolfe Tones, Moylagh)

2017 JFC: Cortown, Longwood, Drumbaragh, Two from (Kilmainham, Nobber, St Ultans), Skryne, Summerhill, Dunsany, Dunshaughlin, Seneschalstown, Carnaross, Clann na nGael, Dunboyne, St Vincent's, Two from (Kilmainhamwood, Wolfe Tones, Moylagh)

Junior B football championship 2017

Seven clubs relegated from junior. The three bottoms teams in each group (St Brigids, Clonard and Drumconrath) plus three fifth placed group teams (Meath Hill, O'Mahony's, Simonstown) plus one of the following three fourth placed group teams following a playoff (Kilmainhamwood, Wolfe Tones, Moylagh)

One club promoted from junior C (Na Fianna)

Nine clubs relegated to junior C. The three bottoms teams in each group (Walterstown, O'Mahony's, St Paul's) plus three fifth placed group teams (St Mary's, Nobber, Dunderry) plus the three fourth placed group teams (Moynalvey, Donaghmore-Ashbourne, Kilbride)

2017 JFC B: St Brigids, Clonard, Drumconrath, Meath Hill, O'Mahony's, Simonstown, One of (Kilmainhamwood, Wolfe Tones, Moylagh), Moynalty, Trim, Slane, St Colmcilles, Dunboyne, St Patrick's, Boardsmill, Gaeil Comcille, Na Fianna

How it would have run?

Each grade would consist of 16 teams broken into four groups. In senior the previous year's four semi-finalists would have been seeded into separate groups. Each team plays three games in the group stages with the top team qualifying for a home quarter-final. The second and third teams play a preliminary quarter-final. The fourth placed teams play off in a relegation semi-final and final.

Why did it fail?

Looking at it now in the cold light of day, it appears a very competitive and evenly balanced set of championships. So why did the proposal fail?

It came down to two things. Firstly, it was a mistake to put the option of relegating 25 clubs in one year on the table. The Competitions Review Committee themselves probably didn't expect that proposal to be greenlighted with clubs more likely to choose the option of phasing it in over a number of years. But once the nuclear option was voted through, club executive committees realised it was going to be a bloodbath and backpedalled furiously.

Secondly, there is a real anger among intermediate and particularly junior clubs that second teams are allowed in the A championships. People involved in senior clubs don't see it but it's there. The Competitions Review Committee surveyed on this issue and the result came back narrowly in favour of allowing second teams in the championships. However, if that poll was taken amongst the players and clubs that the rule effects - those at intermediate and junior level - it would be heavily in favour of ending the practise.  

If the new system had been put in place as agreed in January, ten clubs would be operating below Junior A level next year. At JFC B there would be St Brigid's, Clonard, Drumconrath, Meath Hill, Moynalty, Slane and Boardsmill, while at JFC C there would be St Paul's, St Mary's and Kilbride.

That would be a tough medicine for those ten clubs to swallow while some second string sides in the JFC win an early game or two and then lose games by 10 or 20 points after six or seven players move up to their club's first team as the championships progress.

Where does that leave us?

We have the status quo of eighteen teams in each grade. At senior the groups are competitive but there are one-sided games at intermediate and junior level. The key to any change is getting the backing of the intermediate and junior clubs, as they were the driving force in the u-turn this spring.

Is there an appetite for creating a new review committee? Probably not so soon after this year's ups and downs.

What's your opinion on this issue? This article is being discussed on our forum, join the debate here.

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