Armagh boss Kieran McGeeney has described the new All-Ireland senior football championship set to be implemented in 2026 as “an embarrassment” and “a money-saving exercise”.

Yesterday saw delegates at Congress in Donegal Town voting overwhelmingly in favour of the new format which will see the Sam Maguire Cup race replace the current group stage phase with a qualifier style series next year.

Speaking after the All-Ireland champions' 1-17 to 1-17 draw with Mayo in Armagh yesterday evening, McGeeney let it be known that he is not a fan of the new structure which was voted in by 92.8% of delegates.

“It’s a joke… it’s a joke. They voted this system that we’re going back to out two years ago – it’s a joke,” he is quoted saying by BelfastLive.co.uk.

“I think it’s an embarrassment. It’s a money-saving exercise, bean counters, less games, less travelling, all that sort of stuff, and they’re going to try and push it out to August. Wait til you see, that’s what they’ll do.

“I think, just leave it alone. Leave the bloody thing alone - it was the best format ever. Going on about jeopardy, you talk to any manager or any player. The Super 16s? You were worried about every score, never mind every game.

“Every point was important because right up until the last game you could be sitting top, you lose the last game you could be down to third. It’s nonsense.”

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