Delegates approved major changes to the structures of this year’s senior and intermediate hurling championship at last night’s county committee gathering in Dunganny.

The regulation on the hurling championship, as well as a number of others had been held over from the previous meeting until after the hurling forum which took place two weeks ago.

Five proposals on the format of the senior and intermediate hurling championship were put before delegates with one winning unanimous favour and no support for the remaining four.

For the forthcoming senior and intermediate hurling championship there will be two groups of six, with a seeded draw (finalists will be the first seeds, semi-finalists will be the second seeds, and the remaining teams will be unseeded).

The top three of each group play in the SHC and the bottom three of each group play in a new SHC B.

Losing SHC B quarter finalists play in relegation play-off final. The same format applies for the IHC.

A regulation concerning approved footballs/sliotars for matches was passed. The main change from previous is that all hurling games at all levels from minor and above must use a fluorescent yellow/high-vis sliotar from an official licensee. The penalty for non compliance is a fine of €50 per game (minimum) The regulation brings Meath in line with national standards as per GAA Central Council.

The under-21 hurling championship as well as the Hurling Cups - Brendan Davis, Billy Byrne and Corn Donal O Loingsigh - regulations were also passed with the county committee approving all competition regulations at least one week in advance of the competition commencing.

For hurling leagues, affiliations into these competitions from second and subsequent teams will be accepted by the county committee and graded accordingly after the regulation was passed unanimously.

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