THE Club Players’ Association has released its own plans for a split GAA calendar that would see the All-Ireland championships finished by mid-July.
The GPA recently proposed a blueprint that would have an extra two weeks of inter-county action on top of that, but crucially the CPA want to designate January as a month for third level competitions.
They have released two separate plans, details of which can be read inside, both based around the same dates.
Third level competitions would be played over the first five weeks of the year, followed by the inter-county window from the first week of February until the All-Ireland hurling decider on the second weekend in July.
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Counties would then have a guaranteed 14-week window in which to play their own club championships before the provincial club competitions begin in late October.
The All-Ireland club finals would take place on the second weekend of December, with the remainder of the year designated as a close season.
The CPA claims that while inter-county teams would have absolute exclusivity over players until their championship is over, therefore barring the involvement of players in early-year club league games, the benefit of a guaranteed schedule would help clubs “develop their talent over a number of seasons”.
Chairman Micheal Briody said recent weeks had indicated that the GAA no longer has any need to fear a lack of profile for games in the event of a shortened inter-county window.
“Covid-19 has also provided clear evidence if any was needed of the appetite and enthusiasm for the club game up and down the country.
“In the past - including in the Task Force report - concerns were raised that a shorter intercounty season would result in less media coverage for our games. Those fears have thankfully been proven unfounded.
“If anything the profile, thanks to clubs, has been better than ever.”
