How would you reform the championship without creating a second tier?
A proposal which retains regional divisions.
Divide the 32 teams into 4 conferences: North, East, West, and South.
The 4 conference champions advance to the All-Ireland knockout stages.
The conferences can have a round-robin group stage followed by a knockout stage. Alternatively, they could be straight knockout from the start. The second option allows for a backdoor into the All-Ireland.
I know that it will hard for some teams to accept being moved out of their province but I've tried to retain the regional rivalries as much as I possibly could.
Northern Conference
Cavan, Derry, Antrim, Down, Fermanagh, Armagh, Monaghan, and Tyrone.
Eastern Conference
Dublin, Louth, Meath, Westmeath, Offaly, Kildare, Wicklow, and Laois.
Southern Conference
Kerry, Limerick, Cork, Tipperary, Carlow, Wexford, Waterford, and London.
Western Conference
Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Longford, Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, and Clare.
Fixed. Donegal are in the West.
A proposal which retains regional divisions.
Divide the 32 teams into 4 conferences: North, East, West, and South.
The 4 conference champions advance to the All-Ireland knockout stages.
The conferences can have a round-robin group stage followed by a knockout stage. Alternatively, they could be straight knockout from the start. The second option allows for a backdoor into the All-Ireland.
I know that it will hard for some teams to accept being moved out of their province but I've tried to retain the regional rivalries as much as I possibly could.
Northern Conference
Cavan, Derry, Antrim, Down, Fermanagh, Armagh, Monaghan, and Tyrone.
Eastern Conference
Dublin, Louth, Meath, Westmeath, Offaly, Kildare, Wicklow, and Laois.
Southern Conference
Kerry, Limerick, Cork, Tipperary, Carlow, Wexford, Waterford, and London.
Western Conference
Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Longford, Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, and Clare.
Fixed. Donegal are in the West.