Pat Spillane believes scrapping the pre-season competitions would help to end inter-county fixture congestion.

Writing in his Sunday World column, the Kerry legend - who has been an outspoken opponent of the split season model - states: "There are too many matches and too many competitions squeezed into a crazily tight time frame.

"Of course, it is easy just to moan about it. So, here’s a common-sense solution.

"Scrap the ‘Mickey Mouse’ pre-season provincial tournaments; start the Allianz League in mid January and schedule the All-Ireland finals for the last two Sundays of August. This would give everybody room to breathe.

"Last weekend’s GAA action reminded me of the old joke about waiting an hour for a bus – and then in the space of five minutes, two show up.

"In the mad, mad world of GAA fixture scheduling things operate in reverse. All the buses turned up last weekend: nine provincial championship matches were played, as well as the Allianz Hurling League final."

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