The draw for the inaugural Tailteann Cup will take place on Monday, May 16, but there appears to be growing opposition to the format of the new competition.
With the line-up of the Tailteann Cup almost complete, details have begun to emerge about how the second tier tournament will be structured.
Read more: BBC Championship pundits split on the merits of the forthcoming Tailteann Cup
The biggest surprise is that the early rounds of the competition will be regionalised in a similar manner to the football Leagues during the Covid pandemic.
There has also been widespread anger at New York being awarded a bye into the quarter-finals.
It seems likely that the four Ulster counties will be in the same section with Antrim, Cavan, Down and Fermanagh all entering the Tailteann Cup following their elimination from the Ulster series.
The final make-up of the Tailteann Cup will be confirmed this weekend. Both Westmeath and Tipperary are eligible, but will be hoping to reach the Leinster and Munster SFC finals respectively and, thereby, remain in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.
The new secondary Championship will get underway on May 28, unless there is a need for a preliminary round if Westmeath and/or Tipperary reach a provincial final.
If both teams remain in the provincial series, the 14 teams would play off in the first round to make seven teams who would then join New York in the last eight of the competition.
However, Ryan McCluskey, who is part of Kieran Donnelly’s management team with Fermanagh, took to social media on Monday night to question the format of the Tailteann Cup.
He took a screenshot of the structure of the competition and posted on Twitter: “If this is legit, then lord of God who actually is behind it. New York get 2 byes and then regional games for what reason?”
Cavan selection Seanie Johnston replied: “It’s a scandal, why is this not an open draw? What’s the reasons behind regional fixtures?
"Are the qualifiers gone regional? If regional is the way forward then why have the qualifiers not gone this route? When is the draw?? How is it being marketed? Give the players answers.”
Former Down star Shane Mulholland was also unimpressed, adding: “Open draw the way to go. Why do they always over complicate?”
Sligo legend Eamonn O’Hara didn’t mince his word either by saying: “Hard to market a bucket of sh*** and make it look attractive firstly to the players … then the supporters!”
The Tailteann Cup final will be played before one of the All-Ireland SFC semi-finals on Saturday, July 9 with RTÉ broadcasting both semi-finals and the final live. It is not yet known if another broadcaster has picked up the rights to show the earlier rounds.
Tailteann Cup format:
Eligible counties: Offaly, Down, Antrim, *Westmeath, Fermanagh, Longford, Laois, Wicklow, Cavan, *Tipperary, Sligo, Leitrim, London, Wexford, Carlow, Waterford, **New York.
* Both Westmeath and Tipperary can remain in the All-Ireland series if they progress to their respective provincial finals this weekend.
**New York have been given a bye to the quarter-finals
May 21/22: Preliminary Round (if required)
*As Sligo, Leitrim and Cavan reached their provisional semi-finals, they will be excluded from any preliminary round draw. Tipperary and/or Westmeath will also be exempt.
May 28/29: Round One
June 4/5: Quarter-finals
June 19: Semi-finals
July 9: Final
Read more: Sons are shining for Tyrone as conveyor belt of talent continues to roll
Read more: Cavan vs Donegal: Player ratings from Sunday's Ulster SFC semi-final clash
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