Ulster chief Brian McAvoy: ‘A provincial title is still worth fighting for’

Ulster chief executive Brian McAvoy is not concerned at the questioning of the provincial championship’s relevance in the light of the GAA’s new football structure.

His defence of the Ulster football championship at the GAA’s special congress in October 2021 was influential in the defeat of Option B, which sought to combine the All-Ireland with the league and leave provincial champions as early-season competitions.

When the current format was agreed at last year’s annual congress, McAvoy was happy with the compromise that saw round-robin groups introduced for the Sam Maguire with seedings based primarily on provincial outcomes.

Last month the new structure was heavily criticised by Armagh coach Ciarán McKeever, who said that it would fatally undermine the provincial championship.

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“The way the whole season is crammed in now, it looks like this is the beginning of the end of the Ulster championship the way it’s all going,” said McKeever.

“We will be going out to try to compete to win every match but we are under no illusion – our main priority is the super 16s. That’s when the real football starts.”

The Ulster championship is traditionally the most eagerly contested of the provincial titles and if more counties adopted McKeever’s stance, it would be damaging.

Asked whether it was a worry that such views had emerged in the first season of the new format, McAvoy defended the role of the provincial championships.

“Proposal B wanted the provincial championships as stand-alone competitions and others, like myself, felt they needed to be an integral part of the All-Ireland championship. No one was arguing that the provincial championships were perfect – far from it, but we felt they still had a contribution to make.

“I think what we’ve arrived at – and we’ll see how it works – and I appreciate what Ciarán McKeever had to say but Rory Gallagher said the opposite, that the provincial championships are definitely worth fighting for and winning.”

Gallagher’s position was maybe predictable, as his team, Derry, are defending Ulster champions. On Saturday they face their first defence against Gallagher’s native county, Fermanagh, who, alone of Ulster counties, have yet to win a senior provincial title, so it’s safe to say that the Anglo-Celt trophy won’t be undervalued in Enniskillen.

“People have their own views but provincial championships are important in the current scheme,” according to McAvoy. “If you win, you are a first seed. Now that the All-Ireland is linked to the league, you have the situation where Meath probably have to get to a Leinster final if they are to compete for the Sam Maguire.

“Some counties might be able to say that they see a route to the All-Ireland through a different way but you can count on the fingers of one hand the counties that are potentially going to win an All-Ireland so that would apply to very, very few.”

His point is that there is a huge incentive for teams to reach a provincial final if they are not guaranteed a place in the Tier 1 Sam Maguire on the basis of their league position – a situation that threatens Meath.

There is also a suggestion that the new format offers insufficient incentive for counties to win their provincial championships – because a title gets a team no farther than a side eliminated in the first round, whereas the old system at least guaranteed direct access to the All-Ireland quarterfinals for provincial winners.

“Provincial championships still have a value,” according to McAvoy. “Many counties can’t realistically aspire to winning an All-Ireland a good few can aspire to winning a provincial title.

“If it guarantees a place in the Sam Maguire, it’s still worth fighting for.”

Asked might it be necessary to create more of a benefit for provincial winners, the Ulster CEO feels that it’s too early to make judgments on the motivation of counties.

“We have to give it a chance over a couple of years and see if any enhancements need to be made. I think it’s a good start and it got overwhelming support. There will be teething problems but I think it’s a good balance between rewarding league performances and progress in the provincial championship. That’s important.

“I’m looking forward to it.”