Much depends on luck of the draw

2005 All-Ireland Qualifier Draws: Sunday's draw for the new AllIreland hurling qualifier series is likely to produce one group with a more competitive edge than the other.

Eight teams will be drawn into two groups of four, and after three rounds of matches the top two teams from each group progress to the new All-Ireland quarter-finals.

Although in principle an open format, there are a couple of restrictions attached which should accentuate the premise of the luck of the draw. The three Munster teams can't be drawn in the same group, and the designated weaker counties must also be split up as they are entitled to play two of their three qualifier games at home.

All but two of the eight qualifier teams are now decided. Beaten Munster championship teams Waterford, Limerick and Clare will be joined by Dublin and Galway, plus Ulster champions Antrim. The losers of Sunday's Leinster semi-finals - Laois against Wexford and Offaly against Kilkenny - complete the eight qualifying teams.

The draw will take place shortly after the conclusion of the Offaly-Kilkenny match at Croke Park, and will be overseen by Tony O'Keeffe, the chairman of the recently reformed Central Games Administration Committee (CGAC).

"The main stipulation is that we can't have three Munster teams in the one group," explained O'Keeffe. "After that it's effectively open draw. So there are still a lot of possibilities, and I think the draw will determine a lot."

Both Dublin and Antrim are designated weaker counties, and would be joined by Laois should they lose to Wexford on Sunday. They'd each be entitled to play two of their three games at home. Effectively that means the draw will produce a first group of two Munster teams, one Leinster, plus Galway or Antrim, and a second group of two Leinster teams, one Munster, plus Galway or Antrim.

O'Keeffe also confirmed that all six round one matches are set to take place on Saturday week, June 18th. Round two takes place on July 2nd and round three on July 9th. The top two teams in each group then join the winners and runners-up of both the Leinster and Munster hurling finals, with the All-Ireland quarter-finals to take place on July 24th and July 31st.

They will feature the Munster winners and Leinster runners-up against two of the group qualifiers, and the Leinster winners and the Munster runners-up against the remaining two group qualifiers.

Sunday will also see the draw take place for round one of the All-Ireland football qualifiers. The identity of all but one of those 16 teams is known with the losers of Sunday's Ulster quarter-final between Armagh and Donegal completing the picture.

Round one of the football qualifiers is also set for Saturday week, but O'Keeffe hinted at some leeway when it comes to finalising the dates and venues next Monday morning.

"The hurling dates have been fixed," said O'Keeffe, "but we have reserved the right to play some football games on the Sunday, depending on the teams involved. There is also the existing criteria whereby certain teams qualify for home advantage."

One hurling game the CGAC will consider moving is that involving the Limerick hurlers. The county football team are out on Sunday week, the day after the first round in the hurling qualifiers, and because of the presence of dual players a request has been submitted to separate the fixtures as much as possible, and a midweek evening fixture now looks like the possible alternative.

The Munster Council, meanwhile, have also allayed the speculation that Páirc Uí Chaoimh wouldn't be capable of staging the Munster hurling final on June 26th because of concerns over certain seating arrangements at the Cork venue - although they would be carrying out a full inspection of the venue as a matter of formality.

Cork chairman Jim Forbes said yesterday that any potential problems with the seating had been addressed.

Plastic bucket seats had been installed in the uncovered stand over the winter, replacing the old wooden seating, but this had reportedly led to a serious lack of leg room for the spectators sitting in that area.

According to Munster Council chairman Simon Moroney, a meeting was planned for the coming days where all aspects of Páirc Uí Chaoimh's suitability would be addressed: "I was aware of some of the speculation," said Moroney, "but we will be meeting in the coming days to deal with all the logistics of the venue, which we would do for any game of such a large attendance. And if any issues do arise we will be addressing them then."

Hurling

Clare, Limerick, Waterford, Antrim, Galway, Dublin, Laois or Wexford, Kilkenny or Offaly.

(Eight teams will divided into two groups of four. Each plays three games. First round: June 18th)

Football

Round One - Longford, Wicklow, Louth, Offaly, Westmeath, Carlow, Meath, Fermanagh, Down, Monaghan, Antrim, Waterford, Tipperary, London, Sligo, Armagh or Donegal.

(Sixteen teams will be paired off. Eight winners progress to round two. First round: June 18th).