The GAA have unveiled their full fixture list for a potentially historic 2022 season.
Covid-permitting, next year will see the ‘split season’ and Tailteann Cup come into play for the first time.
Despite the increasing uncertainty around Covid, and with the beginning of the National Leagues just five and a half weeks’ away, GAA chiefs insist they will deal with whatever comes their way.
This year’s season is scheduled to end with the All-Ireland football final on Sunday, July 24 with the Association committed to giving more weekends to the club game.
In 2017 - pre football Super 8s and provincial hurling round robins - the average active period per annum for an inter-county panel was 25 weeks, but this will drop to 26 weeks in 2022.
The All-Ireland football final is pencilled in for the 30th weekend of the year, as 2022 starts on a Saturday meaning the GAA loses an additional window for games.
It will be the same next year, but from 2024 onwards the final game of the inter-county season will be on the 29th weekend of the year, freeing up extra time for clubs.
The split season was originally due to come into action last year, but Covid scuppered those plans.
Some fears continue to be voiced about the inter-county game making way for club games in August and September.
But GAA Director of Player, Club and Games Administration, Feargal McGill doesn’t see it that way.
McGill praised the “brilliant” media coverage of the club game in recent months adding: “They have never had a higher profile.
“I only see that profile growing so it is not a case that the GAA closes down or finishes at the end of July.
“Far from it, it kicks into gear and the 2,000 who are on the stage for the first part of the summer are suddenly replaced by the 400,000.
“That is fine by us. Again, we took the decision knowing there would be a consequence there that our highest profile games would be completed by the end of July but so be it.
“That is fine with us. It is a consequence we are fully aware of but this is about the broader Association.
“We don’t see it as giving up those months at all. We see it as giving those months to the club.”
For the past two seasons no replays have been permitted in the Championship, bar the All-Ireland finals, but none of the four deciders - across both codes - have finished level at the end of normal time.
Winner on the day protocols - potentially including penalty shoot outs - will come into place from next year on, again excluding the All-Ireland finals, which will go straight to a replay if they finish level at full time.
An All-Ireland final replay is worth in the region of €6 million in gate receipts to the GAA, with profits believed to be around the €2 million mark.
Replays are nowhere near as lucrative for All-Ireland semi-finals or any other games further down the food chain, although the revenue generated is in the hundreds of thousands of euro.
However, Championship replays played havoc with club fixtures and prevented proper planning.
“This all goes back five, six, seven, eight years ago where strategically we would have looked at the calendar and not been overly happy with the time available for club games and the time we were using for county games,” said McGill.
“It was also tied in with the findings of the ESRI report and the commitment to play the inter-county game was getting more and more significant.
“Those two things were behind our thinking to try and tighten the footprint of the inter-county season.
“And in fairness to Central Council, they are well aware of the revenue implications for it but they absolutely took the decision in the interest of players and the interests of club players in particular.
“We do know there will be a financial knock-on but so be it. The Association was not created to make money. It was created to play games and keep players playing.”
This year’s football Championship is back to the old qualifier system, which was in play before the Super 8s came in for the 2018 season.
The All-Ireland semi-final pairings for 2022 are Ulster v Connacht and Leinster v Munster (or the team that beats any of the four sides in the straight knock-out All-Ireland quarter-final).
The inaugural Tailteann Cup final has been slotted in as the curtain-raiser to one of the two All-Ireland football semi-finals (Saturday, July 9).
The semi-finals of the Tier 2 competition, for Division 3 and 4 sides who don’t make their provincial finals, are slated for the weekend of June 19.
No other football championship games will take place on this weekend in a bid to increase the media profile and prestige of the new competition.
The GAA considered putting the Tailteann Cup as the curtain-raiser on All-Ireland final day but decided against it.
“It’s a personal view - I think the weekend of the All-Ireland you won’t have anybody talking about anything else except the All-Ireland,” said McGill.
“I’m not sure if it would be in the best interests of publicity. Secondly, you have the issue of the break if you like.
“As soon as teams are knocked out of their provincial championships, you want to start the Tailteann Cup as soon as possible so that there isn’t a gap of three or four weeks where teams are just training and doing nothing else.
“So you try and run the competition as soon as possible after that.
“The final reason is, and we wouldn’t shy away from this, the sooner the Tailteann Cup is completed the sooner the players from those counties get back with their clubs. It’s as simple as that.
“It is something that was presented at Central Council and there was no particular reaction to it.
“Look, it’s the first year of the Tailteann Cup. We’ll see how it goes.
“We’re not ruling anything in or out over the coming years. We are committed to making it as successful as it could possibly be.”
NATIONAL LEAGUE FIXTURES
DIVISION 1
Round 1
Saturday, January 29
Dublin v Armagh, Croke Park, 7pm;
Sunday, January 30
Kildare v Kerry, Newbridge, 1.45pm
Mayo v Donegal, Markievicz Park, 1.45pm
Tyrone v Monaghan, Omagh, 1.45pm
Round 2
Saturday, February 5:
Kerry v Dublin, Tralee, 7pm;
Sunday, February 6
Armagh v Tyrone, Athletic Grounds, 2pm
Monaghan v Mayo, Clones, 2pm
Donegal v Kildare, Ballybofey, 2.30pm
Round 3
Saturday, February 19
Armagh v Monaghan, Athletic Grounds, 5.30pm
Dublin v Mayo, Croke Park, 7.30pm
Sunday February 20
Kerry v Donegal, Killarney, 1.45pm
Tyrone v Kildare, Omagh, 3.45pm
Round 4
Saturday, February 26
Donegal v Tyrone, Ballybofey, 7.30pm;
Sunday, February 27
Kildare v Dublin, Newbridge, 1.45pm
Mayo v Armagh, Dr Hyde Park, 2.pm
Monaghan v Kerry, Clones, 2pm
Round 5
Saturday, March 12
Armagh v Kildare, Athletic Grounds, 6pm
Kerry v Mayo, Tralee, 7.30pm
Sunday, March 13
Donegal v Monaghan, Ballybofey, 1.45pm
Tyrone v Dublin, Omagh, 3.45pm
Round 6
Saturday, March 19
Tyrone v Mayo, Omagh, 7pm,
Sunday, March 20
Armagh v Kerry, Athletic Grounds, 2.pm
Kildare v Monaghan, Newbridge, 2.30pm
Dublin v Donegal, Croke Park, 3.45pm
Round 7 –
Sunday, March 27
Donegal v Armagh, Letterkenny, 1.45pm
Kerry v Tyrone, Killarney, 1.45pm
Mayo v Kildare, Carrick-on-Shannon, 1.45pm
Monaghan v Dublin, Clones, 1.45pm
Final: April 2/3
DIVISION 2
Round 1
Saturday, January 29
Derry v Down, Owenbeg, 5pm
Sunday, January 30:
Clare v Offaly, Ennis 2pm
Galway v Meath, Salthill, 2pm
Roscommon v Cork, Dr Hyde Park, 2pm
Round 2
Saturday, February 5
Down v Galway, Newry, 5.pm
Cork v Clare, Pairc Ui Chaoimh, 7pm
Sunday, February 6
Meath v Roscommon, Navan, 2.pm
Offaly v Derry, Tullamore, 2pm
Round 3
Sunday, February 20
Derry v Cork, Owenbeg, 2pm
Galway v Offaly, Salthill, 2pm
Meath v Down, Navan, 2pm
Roscommon v Clare, Dr Hyde Park, 2pm
Round 4
Saturday, February 26
Offaly v Meath, Tullamore, 2.30pm
Cork v Galway, Pairc Ui Chaoimh, 5.pm
Down v Roscommon, Newry, 5.pm
Sunday, February 27
Clare v Derry, Ennis, 1pm
Round 5
Saturday, March 12
Down v Offaly, Newry, 5.pm
Sunday, March 13
Galway v Clare, Salthill, 2pm
Meath v Cork, Navan, 2pm
Roscommon v Derry, Dr Hyde Park, 2pm
Round 6
Sunday, March 20
Cork v Down, Pairc Ui Chaoimh, 1pm
Derry v Galway, Owenbeg, 1pm
Clare v Meath, Ennis, 1.pm
Offaly v Roscommon, Tullamore, 2pm
Round 7
Sunday, March 27
Down v Clare, Newry 2pm
Meath v Derry, Navan, 2pm
Offaly v Cork, Tullamore, 2pm
Roscommon v Galway, Dr Hyde Park, 2pm
Final April 2/3
DIVISION 3
Round 1
Saturday, January 29
Limerick v Longford; Gaelic Grounds, 5pm
Fermanagh v Antrim; Brewster Park, 7pm
Sunday, January 30
Louth v Laois; Ardee, 2pm
Westmeath v Wicklow; Cusack Park, 2pm
Round 2
Saturday, February 5
Antrim v Limerick; Corrigan Park, 2.30
Sunday, February 6
Laois v Westmeath; O’Moore Park, 2pm
Longford v Louth; Pearse Park, 2pm
Wicklow v Fermanagh; Aughrim, 2pm
Round 3
Saturday, February 19
Antrim v Wicklow; Corrigan Park, 2pm
Fermanagh v Laois; Brewster Park, 6pm
Sunday, February 20
Limerick v Louth; Gaelic Grounds, 2pm
Westmeath v Longford; Cusack Park, 2pm
Round 4
Saturday, February 26
Wicklow v Limerick; Aughrim, 2.30
Laois v Antrim; O’Moore Park, 6pm
Sunday, February 27
Longford v Fermanagh; Pearse Park, 2pm
Louth v Westmeath; Ardee, 2pm
Round 5
Saturday, March 12
Antrim v Longford; Corrigan Park, 2.30
Fermanagh v Louth; Brewster Park, 7pm
Limerick v Westmeath; Cusack Park, 7pm
Sunday, March 13
Wicklow v Laois; Aughrim, 2pm
Round 6
Saturday, March 19
Laois v Limerick; O’Moore Park, 7pm
Sunday, March 20
Longford v Wicklow; Pearse Park, 2pm
Louth v Antrim; Ardee, 2pm
Westmeath v Fermanagh; Cusack Park, 2pm
Round 7
Sunday, March 27
Antrim v Westmeath; Corrigan Park, 2pm
Laois v Longford; O’Moore Park, 2pm
Limerick v Fermanagh; Gaelic Grounds, 2pm
Wicklow v Louth; Aughrim, 2pm
DIVISION 4
Round 1
Saturday, January 29
Carlow v London; Netwatch Cullen Park, 7pm
Sunday, January 30
Leitrim v Cavan; Carrick-on-Shannon, 2pm
Waterford v Tipperary; Fraher Field, 2pm
Wexford v Sligo; Wexford Park, 2pm
Round 2
Sunday, February 6
London v Waterford; Ruislip, 1pm
Sligo v Carlow; Markievicz Park, 1pm
Cavan v Wexford; Breffni Park, 2pm
Tipperary v Leitrim; Semple Stadium, 2pm
Round 3
Saturday, February 19
Carlow v Waterford; Netwatch Cullen Park, 7pm
Sunday, February 20
Leitrim v London; Carrick-on-Shannon, 12pm
Sligo v Cavan; Markievicz Park, 2pm
Wexford v Tipperary; Wexford Park, 2pm
Round 4
Saturday, February 26
Tipperary v Sligo; Semple Stadium, 7pm
Sunday, February 27
London v Wexford; Ruislip, 1pm
Cavan v Carlow; Breffni Park, 2pm
Waterford v Leitrim; Fraher Field, 2pm
Round 5
Sunday, March 13
Sligo v London; Markievicz Park, 12pm
Carlow v Leitrim; Netwatch Cullen Park, 2pm
Cavan v Tipperary; Breffni Park, 2pm
Wexford v Waterford; Wexford Park, 2pm
Round 6
Sunday, March 20
London v Cavan; Ruislip, 12pm
Waterford v Sligo; Fraher Field, 2pm
Leitrim v Wexford; Carrick-on-Shannon, 2.30
Tipperary v Carlow; Semple Stadium, 3.45
Round 7
Saturday, March 26
Tipperary v London; Semple Stadium, 7pm
Sunday, March 27th
Carlow v Wexford; Netwatch Cullen Park, 1pm
Cavan v Waterford; Breffni Park, 1pm
Sligo v Leitrim; Markievicz Park, 1pm
NATIONAL HURLING LEAGUE
NHL DIVISION 1A
Round 1
Saturday, February 5
Cork v Clare, Pairc Ui Chaoimh, 5pm
Sunday, February 6
Wexford v Limerick, Wexford Park, 1.45pm
Galway v Offaly, Salthill, 2pm
Round 2
Saturday, February 11
Limerick v Galway, Gaelic Grounds, 7pm
Sunday, February 12
Clare v Wexford, Ennis, 1.45pm
Offaly v Cork, Tullamore, 2pm
Round 3
Sunday, February 26
Galway v Wexford, Salthill. 2pm
Offaly v Clare, Tullamore, 2pm
Limerick v Cork, Gaelic Grounds, 3.45pm
Round 4
Saturday, March 5
Cork v Galway, Pairc Ui Chaoimh, 7.pm
Sunday, March 6
Clare v Limerick, Ennis, 1.45pm
Wexford v Offaly, Wexford Park, 2.pm
Round 5
Sunday, March 20
Galway v Clare, Salthill. 1.45pm
Limerick v Offaly, Gaelic Grounds, 1.45pm
Wexford v Cork, Wexford Park, 1.45pm
DIVISION 1B
Round 1
Saturday, February 5
Laois v Tipperary, Portlaoise, 6.pm
Sunday, February 6:
Kilkenny v Antrim, Nowlan Park, 1.pm
Dublin v Waterford, Parnell Park, 3.45pm
Round 2
Saturday, February 11
Antrim v Dublin, Corrigan Park, 2pm
Sunday, February 12
Waterford v Laois, Walsh Park, 2pm
Tipperary v Kilkenny, Thurles, 3.45pm
Round 3
Saturday, February 25
Tipperary v Dublin, Thurles, 5pm
Sunday, February 26
Antrim v Waterford, Corrigan Park, 1pm
Kilkenny v Laois, Nowlan Park 2pm
Round 4
Saturday, March 5
Dublin v Kilkenny, Parnell Park, 5pm
Sunday, March 6
Waterford v Tipperary, Walsh Park, 1.45pm
Laois v Antrim, Portlaoise, 3.45pm
Round 5
Sunday, March 20
Kilkenny v Waterford, 1.45pm
Laois v Dublin, Portlaoise, 1.45pm
Tipperary v Antrim, Thurles, 1.45pm
March 26/27: NHL Semi-Finals & relegation play-off
April 2/3: NHL Final
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