New rule re:extra-time

[Jinxy]

I dunno if this has been discussed already but I just saw this new rule mentioned in todays times. It says that all senior intercounty championship matches up to the semi-final stage will go to ET if the scores are level at full-time. It was in the context of Meath v Dublin next year and how we will never see a repeat of the 4 match saga in '91. This came from the special congress in January apparently. I presume "semi-final stage" refers to provincial semi's, does it?

[Jinxy]

That clears that up so. Much obliged!

[armaghniac]

It was in the context of Meath v Dublin next year and how we will never see a repeat of the 4 match saga in '91.

All those games except the first one would have had extra time anyway.

[orangeman]

Aye the original was published as a proposal in the Better Club Programme Report which came out on October 9th 2007.

That Extra Time be played in all Championship matches except the Semi Finals and Finals
of the Provincial and All Ireland Senior Championships.

Do they not need the money for replays anymore ??

[under the bar]

Pat McEnaney will have to decide a winner from now on...

[orangeman]

Pat McEnaney will have to decide a winner from now on...

How are referees expected to earn a crust from now on ?? 

[Jinxy]

It was in the context of Meath v Dublin next year and how we will never see a repeat of the 4 match saga in '91.

All those games except the first one would have had extra time anyway.

Well I suppose you're right. We could see it again if it finished all square after ET in the first game.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

How many of the games in 91 went to extra time?

[Owenmoresider]

How many of the games in 91 went to extra time?

The second, third and fourth games I believe...

Not the fourth one though. David Beggy seen to that.

Don't see the reason this should be done. Another nonsense proposal from HQ IMO, on top of what was passed last weekend.

[Hound]

Don't see the reason this should be done. Another nonsense proposal from HQ IMO, on top of what was passed last weekend.

I'd be very much in favour of the new rule, though I would have gone a couple of steps further and included up to and including provinical finals. Hate replays where neither team would be out anway.

[drici]

By Martin Breheny

It's back to the future as the GAA prepares to restore replays to all rounds of the senior provincial championships.

This year's series will almost certainly be the last where extra-time applies to early round games which finish level.

Introduced in 2009 with the intention of freeing up extra dates for club activity, the policy of playing extra-time in provincial championship games up to -- and including -- the quarter-finals has come under increasing pressure amid claims that it made no difference to local fixtures while resulting in a serious revenue hit.

Leinster suffered a gross loss of around €675,000 last year when two quarter-finals were decided in extra-time rather than going to replays. The Meath-Laois and Dublin-Wexford (SF) double-header and Antrim v Offaly (SH) all finished level, with the latter two decided in extra-time.

It took a replay, which yielded €132,000, to settle Meath v Laois. That reduced the overall gate loss which otherwise would have reached over €800,000.

Receipts at the drawn football double header totalled over €791,000 and would have been replicated in a replay, as would the €140,000 income from an Antrim-Offaly hurling replay.

motion

A Wexford motion will come before Congress in Mullingar next month, calling for a return to the original system where all senior provincial championship games which finish level in normal time go to a replay.

Wexford's Sheamus Howlin, used his departing speech as Leinster Council chairman last Saturday to urge counties to support his county's call.

"The 'no replay' aim was to allow our Association to play more club games, but the change did not result in one extra game being played in any of the participating counties. Is the rule achieving what it set out to achieve? I believe it's not," said Howlin.

"In hard times, our clubs and counties could do with extra revenue (from replays) and also there's the excitement and drama factor of additional fixtures in Croke Park on a Saturday evening in June. It's time to look at this again because, as things stand, we're getting the worst of both worlds -- reduced income and no extra club fixtures. That doesn't make sense.".

There's support for a return to replays in the other provinces too. Pat Fitzgerald, Munster Council CEO, said the new approach had done nothing to improve the club fixtures' scene while robbing the GAA of valuable promotional and revenue benefits.

"Take the example of Tipperary and Cork who meet in the first round of this year's Munster hurling championship. It's always a huge event but, with Tipperary being All-Ireland champions, it will be even more attractive this time. If it finishes level in normal time it goes to extra-time rather than a replay," he said.

"Think of the loss that would be to the promotion of hurling. We want to use everything we can to sell our games, yet we'll be trying to settle a big event like Tipperary against Cork in extra-time if they draw. That doesn't make sense. There's the revenue element too. Our policy in Munster is very simple -- if we take the money in, we give back out to the counties and clubs so everybody benefits. We've shown that over the last few years when we had replays in Munster semi-finals and finals."

Danny Murphy, Ulster Council PRO, said the decision to play extra-time in early round games was well-intentioned, but hadn't worked out in terms of increasing club activity.

His Connacht counterpart, John Prenty, spoke against a return to 'replays all the way' at last year's Congress, but concedes since the new system hasn't had the desired effect, his attitude has changed somewhat.

"Counties aren't using the extra dates to play club games. It's unfortunate, but that's the situation and has to be taken into account," he said.

With so much support for change coming from senior provincial officials, it seems highly likely Congress will pass the Wexford motion. The loss of revenue caused by the reduction in replays will be a major factor in the deliberations.

However, if the motion is passed it won't come into effect until 2012.

[Hardy]

Sense prevails at last.

[donelli]

so they want to revert back to replays because they want more of our money.
thanks again. 

The concept of extra time being played in event of a draw for 1st/2nd round games was a good idea. Supporters and players rather get the contest over on the first occasion

i recall on a few occasions in the past that we had our club games postponed as a result of first round ulster championship replays to be played by our county. Normally them fixed games were club championship matches and it was a right pain to have them cancelled.

so in tough times again, the provincial gaa's attitude will be f4ck the club player and lets empty the pockets of our supporters... bad reversal of a decision.

[Jinxy]

I like replays.
We usually win them.

[Hardy]

so they want to revert back to replays because they want more of our money.
thanks again. 

What "they" would that be. How are "they" different to "we"?

What did you think of these points:

"In hard times, our clubs and counties could do with extra revenue (from replays)"
"as things stand, we're getting the worst of both worlds -- reduced income and no extra club fixtures"
"if we take the money in, we give back out to the counties and clubs so everybody benefits"