Lots of great stuff there Fionntamhnach.
* What appears to be the ideal time for the first round of club championship games is around the end of July and start of August, depending on Tyrone's involvement in the All-Ireland series. This doesn't leave the 1st round being played too early while allowing some breathing room later in the year if needed.
I think most clubs would like a competitive league fixture inbetween the July break and their first Championship game, but if the July break is 7th-20th July inclusive, then we play a round of league fixtures the weekend of 26th/27th July and the following Saturday and Sunday (2nd & 3rd August) its the All-Ireland Quarter Finals.
So, have a round of league fixtures on 20th July, leaving the following weekend for the Championship first round? It eats into the July Holidays, but realistically managers would be organising challenge games that weekend anyway if the Championship was the following weekend
* The return of a double round of fixtures over a weekend should be considered in my opinion and arguably the two May Bank Holidays give the best opportunity for this to happen. Because of player commitment that is built up over this, it should happen no more than twice in the season. The double round weekends got a bad rep a few years ago in the 4 division set up when two of them were set on consecutive weekends meaning players played four games in nine days. To keep things in perspective, two Friday night fixtures should (a) as far as possible be between two teams within a 40-45 minute drive from each other, though it'll be difficult to meet this for all clubs, and (b) consideration should be given to the reserve tie of that fixture being played on the night before to allow all players enough time for travelling for each game and to allow for sunlight. Clubs which can play home games under floodlights should potentially be given attention to having home advantage on these rounds of games.
A double round of fixtures would help, but I'd be reluctant to do this for BOTH the May bank holidays. Simply because i enjoy my bank holiday weekends and think it would be unfair to use up both of them for football.
I'd definitely be keen on the Reserve game being played the night before, as if its 'put off until another date' it rarely gets played
* If Tyrone are fortunate enough to reach the All-Ireland Semi-Final this year again, it should be the case that if an All-County League round of fixtures can't be played, the reserve league should continue on to its conclusion on Friday or Saturday evenings when that is the case from Friday 22nd August onwards with the first round of reserve championship games taking place on the 15th-17th August after the Senior/Intermediate/Junior Football Championship first round games played. Any Reserve championship game around this time from the quarter finals onwards should be fitted around fixtures where by there is at a minimum a two day gap from any league game. The senior part of the respective round of fixtures can be played later on, meaning (a) reserve players can get their season wrapped up quicker without being affected by county teams, (b) less likelyhood of walkovers being conceded in the reserve league, and (c) for the corresponding senior fixtures that may take place in October or November, the lack of a prior reserve game means the playing field should be in a better condition especially in poor weather.
Totally agree. Lets get this passed at the county convention...
