London set to block new GAA football
proposals
 By GRAHAM
CLIFFORD
Plans to re-shape the All-Ireland Championships and National Leagues
have been met with a cautious response in London.
The most controversial proposal put forward by the Games Administration
Committee states that teams from the newly-formed Division 4 of the football
league would go straight into the Tommy Murphy Cup if defeated in their
first round Championship game rather than into the qualifier series.
London, who would be placed in Division 4, would thereby lose out on the
prospect of advancement in the Championship, a proposal which chairman
of the London County Board, Larry O’Leary, says would defeat the
purpose of the qualifiers.
He said: “The aim of the idea is to free up the fixture list but
it gives teams like London lesser incentive. Last year we lost to Roscommon
by a point — it would have been a kick in the teeth to have then
been out of the Championship draw.”
The draft proposals issued by Croke Park this week also aim to transform
the National Leagues.
This would affect the London hurlers in particular and put added financial
strain on a County Board already in severe financial difficulty.
If the new-look leagues start in 2007, which is possible, then London
would go into Division 3 which would consist of eight teams.
This would mean the Exiles would have to travel to Ireland for four games
a year compared with two as in the current format.
Such a move would mean the County Board having to fork out an extra £10,000
a year to cover away fixtures.
However, on the flip side, London would more than likely play against
higher quality sides.
Reacting to this proposal O’Leary said: “It would ultimately
benefit hurling in the capital.
“While there are added fixtures at least we would be playing against
better sides — hurling in London is progressing at a great pace
and we need to play better teams to learn and develop.”
Plans for the football league would see the county side taking part in
Division 4.
The eight-team group would include the lesser successful counties and
rob London of lucrative fixtures such as the visit of Donegal on St. Patrick’s
weekend this year when thousands of supporters flocked to Ruislip.
It is expected that London will back most of the proposals but vote against
plans for the transformation of the All-Ireland Football Championship
qualifier series.
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