All-Ireland finals could move to August in 2027
GAA president Jarlath Burns says the All-Ireland Senior Football and Hurling finals could be pushed back to August from 2027. While the two showpieces games were traditionally played in September, they have been staged in July since 2022 as part of the split-season model. Earlier this year, Burns said the finals would not be moved to August in 2026, but a proposal to tweak the calendars could now be considered at Special Congress in October.Speaking at the launch of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship on Tuesday, Burns said: "Croke Park operates with regard to its priorities and how it does its business a year in advance. So, already, because we hadn't made a decision on that, August 2026 is taken up. That puts August 2027 into the mix."I'm around the country all the time, in clubs and counties every single day of the week, and the thing that I get most debate on are the timings of the All-Ireland finals. "And there is a school of thought that is saying that first and third weeks in August, leaving everything as it is, okay, first and third weeks in August."Burns, whose term as president ends in February 2027, also said he favours provincial finals being decided by replays. Cork beat Limerick on penalties in last weekend's Munster Hurling decider while Burns' native Armagh lost Ulster Football final shootouts in 2023 and 2024."I suppose that brings that into focus as well," added Burns."There are people who are very favourable towards the preliminary quarter-finals, but we will always be led by what the counties want. We decided that we would hold that particular one back."You don't have to talk to me above anybody else about replays and provincial finals. We've (Armagh) lost three now, two quarter-finals, on penalties. I would be very much in favour of replays where at all possible."
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