Six-day turnaround remains for some as football qualifier details confirmed

There has been confirmation from Croke Park of the exact details of the 2013 All-Ireland football qualifier series, the draw for the first round taking place on the morning of Monday week, June 17th, live on RTÉ radio, and the first round of games then taking place on Saturday June 29th.

However the minor amendments agreed at Congress in Derry back in March won't come into effect until 2014 – namely the condition that provincial runners-up shall be allowed, where feasible, a 13-day gap between their provincial final and their participation in the All-Ireland qualifier series.

This was the main amendment put forward at Congress by the National Fixtures' Planning Committee and Central Council, and which was accepted with 93 per cent support. Unfortunately it won't come soon enough for the beaten provincial finalists in both Ulster and Connacht this year.

With both those finals down for decision on July 21st, and the fourth round of the All-Ireland qualifiers set for the following Saturday, July 27th, the dreaded six-day turnaround looks like being the prize for the losing teams there.

Avoid conflict
Other amendments to the qualifiers has allowed for qualifier games to be played on Saturdays or Sundays, as deemed appropriate by the Central Competitions Control Committee, although the schedule of games shall avoid conflict with the provincial championships schedules (including replays), and shall also allow sufficient dates for club championship fixtures.

From next year consideration can also be given to the dual involvement of counties in both hurling and football, and, where feasible, avoid the same weekend. Incidentally another amendment, from Wexford, whereby the winners of the All-Ireland football title of the previous three years were excluded from the first round of the qualifiers, should they end up there, was withdrawn.

What is certain is that Galway, Sligo, Carlow, Laois, Longford, Westmeath, Offaly, Armagh, Tyrone, Derry, Tipperary, Limerick are already in the hat for the first round this year – and will be joined by the losers of Louth-Wexford, Meath -Wicklow, Antrim-Monaghan, and Cavan v Fermanagh. (Waterford are already booked in for the second round, having lost the Munster provincial football semi-final, to Kerry).