The 'Green Proposal' for a reform of the All-Ireland senior football championship will go to a vote at Congress next month after it was backed by the GAA Central Council on Saturday.
Two proposals were put to the Council, the 'Red Proposal' - a slightly revamped version of Proposal B which was defeated at Special Congress last October - and the 'Green Proposal', a plan roughly based on the vision of former GAA President Sean Kelly.
The ‘Green Proposal’, which got the support of the GPA during the week, would see the League stay as it is and played from January to April.
The provincials would be run over five weeks in April and May, with the Championship consisting of four groups of four for the All-Ireland and four groups of four for the Tailteann Cup.
The provincial finalists would be the top two seeds in each of the four Championship groups, with the other eight teams determined by league placings.
Group winners would then go straight into the All-Ireland quarter-finals, with the second placed teams playing off against the third placed teams in another group, in preliminary quarter-finals.
This was opposed to the 'Red Proposal' which most significantly would have seen the league flip to the summer and act as the All-Ireland - with seven Championship games guaranteed - and the provincials played in the spring.
It was also agreed at the meeting to submit a motion to introduce an U19 Minor Intercounty Hurling and Football Championship from 2023 onwards.
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