Carbery championships to undergo radical overhaul if given green light

Board proposing Champions-League style format for South West JAFC

THE Carbery junior football and hurling championships are set for a huge overhaul after the board proposed massive changes to the format of the competitions.

If the board’s proposals get the green light, then the 2021 South West Junior A Football Championship will consist of 16 teams divided into four groups of four. The 2021 South West Junior A Hurling Championship will be reduced to eight teams divided into two groups of four. There will be a knock-on effect in each grade in both football and hurling.

As part of this dramatic makeover, direct relegation will be introduced in the local football and hurling championships with the board believing the present relegation system is not fit for purpose and is not having the necessary impact.

The Carbery board is also reasoning that the standards in the division’s junior A championships need to be raised, particularly in hurling. It says some teams are competing in a grade too high for them and that the early rounds of the championship have lost interest with little public support.

In a proposal document sent to all Carbery clubs and that was explained at a recent board meeting last Thursday, it read, ‘All teams should stand a realistic chance of winning the championship they are in.’

The board also feels that the overhaul will improve standards at the various grades, leading to more competitive and interesting championships.

‘The junior B championships are not attractive or working properly because teams which would stand a chance to win those championships continue to campaign in A.’

The new championships will also be linked to the Carbery-Beara leagues, which the board feels will help make the leagues more competitive, attractive and meaningful.

The plan is that the 2021 South West JAFC will consist of the top 16 teams in the league at the end of the 2020 season. They will be graded as ‘A’.

The teams that finish from 17th to 24th in the league at the end of the 2020 season will be graded as ‘B’ and then compete in the 2021 South West JBFC, which will consist of eight teams. 

The eight teams that finish in places 25 to 32 in the league at the end of 2020 will be graded as ‘C’ and form the 2021 South West JCFC, while the seven teams that place 33rd to 39th in the league by the end of 2020 will be graded ‘D’ and contest the 2021 South West JDFC.

Then, from 2021 onwards, teams will be graded according to promotion and relegation in the championship.

The revamped South West JAFC will see the 16 teams divided into four groups of four, guaranteeing each team three championship games. 

The ‘A’ championship draw, from 2021 onwards, would be linked to the finished position of clubs in the 2020 league. For example, the top four teams would be in Pot 1, the next four in Pot 2, and so on.

The top two teams in each of the four groups would qualify for the quarter-finals, the third placed team in each group would play-off for the Paddy Minihane Cup, and the bottom team in each group would compete in relegation play-offs. One team will be relegated each year, but not if the South West JAFC winner wins the county title, provided a junior B team does not win the junior B county championship.

The new South West JBFC will have eight teams divided into two groups of four. The top two in each group will go forward to the semi-finals, with the winner of the championship earning their place in the ‘A’ competition for the following season. The two third place teams will contest for a yet unnamed shield and the two bottom teams will take part in a relegation play-off, but relegation is dependent on where the South West JCFC winner opts for promotion.

The junior C and D championships will be straight knock-out, with relegation play-offs in ‘C’ deciding who goes down to ‘D’, while the ‘D’ champion will be promoted.

With the South West JAHC, the 2021 championship will consist of the top eight teams from the 2020 league; these will be graded as ‘A’. These eight teams will be divided into two groups of four for the 2021 JAHC, the top two in each group go forward to the semi-finals, the two third placed team will play for the Trustees Savings Cup, and the bottom two teams meet in a relegation play-off. One team will be relegated from ‘A’ unless, similar to the football, the championship winner goes on to win the county. If a junior B team, other than the South West JBHC winner, wins the county B championship, then two teams will be relegated from A.

The new South West JBHC will consist of eight teams – those that finished in places nine to 16 at the end of the 2020 league will be graded as B – split into two groups of four. The top two from each group qualify for semi-finals with the championship winner earning promotion to ‘A’, the third placed team in each group play for a shield, and there will be relegation in operation too.The South West JCHC will consist of the seven second teams of higher grade teams and will be straight knock-out. The winner is promoted to ‘B’. From 2021 onwards, teams will be graded according to promotion and relegation in the championships.

Full details have been sent to all South West clubs with clubs to discuss the proposals and revert back to the board with their thoughts, but no decision is expected to be made until early next year.