21-05-2025
Repetition, repetition and more repetition: Why the GAA are ditching the 'Super 16' format
For a man who bemoaned the imminent departure of the 'Super 16' before the Ulster final, Kieran McGeeney didn't sound completely chuffed with it after yet another agonising defeat.
'We've been in the group of death for the past two years, so what's a third one?' he mentioned of Armagh's fate meeting Derry, Dublin and Galway after losing to Donegal last Sunday week.
'It's a tough one.'
Once more, Armagh and their manager will front up. This weekend, they face Derry in the round-robin stages for the second year in a row, the third consecutive season they have faced Ulster opposition in this phase of the championship.
Over the same period, Kerry have faced just one northern team, Monaghan last year.
McGeeney's point about the current format is that it works.
'Leave the bloody thing alone – it was the best format ever,' he said earlier this year. 'Going on about jeopardy, you talk to any manager or any player… the Super 16s? You were worried about every score, never mind every game. Every point was important because right up until the last game you could be sitting top, you lose the last game you could be down to third. It's nonsense.'
But leaving aside McGeeney's masochism, there are some extremely good reasons why the GAA have decided to ditch it in favour of an enhanced qualifier system next season:
1. Repeat fixtures, repeat results.
As the only repeat fixture avoided in the draw is a provincial final meeting, the format has thrown up a number of quick rematches: the Cork-Kerry clash on Sunday week comes six weeks after the counties's Munster semi-final, while Cavan meet Tyrone next month having previously contested an Ulster quarter-final in April. Those games follow Donegal-Tyrone and Roscommon-Mayo last year and in 2023 Dublin-Kildare and Tyrone-Monaghan. In those four rematches, none of the teams beaten in the provincial clash has exacted revenge, Monaghan coming closest by drawing their All-Ireland game. The last team to avenge a provincial result in the All-Ireland series was Armagh against Donegal three years ago.
2. Repeat pairings.
Next month, Armagh will face Galway in the group stages for the third consecutive year, their fifth SFC meeting since 2022. Louth and Monaghan are joined again and also for the second year in a row, Ulster champions Donegal commence their All-Ireland pursuit with a home game against Tyrone. By beating Meath last Sunday week, Louth avoided a third year facing Kerry.
3. Repeatedly unfair.
This weekend's eight teams only have a one-week turnaround to their Round 2 fixtures whereas their opponents have enjoyed a two-week break. Of the 16 Round 2 results in 2023 and '24 Round 2 results, the team with the shortest preparation period won seven times and several of them were no surprises.
4. Repeatedly unfair Mark II.
As we know, this structure was effectively killed off when Derry and Roscommon last year earned their place in the knock-out stages off the back of one victory in four championship games. Monaghan, who added a draw to their sole victory, weren't much better in their qualification. Although they have better chances to win more than once this time around especially Monaghan, that remains a possibility for Derry and Gabriel Bannigan's men.
5. Repeatedly predictable.
The group stages have become a little formulaic these past couple of seasons. In both 2023 and '24, Armagh, Dublin and Kerry earned automatic All-Ireland quarter-final places, while five of the eight preliminary quarter-final spots were populated on both occasions by Cork, Galway, Mayo, Monaghan and Roscommon. Armagh and Dublin obviously can't both go straight through to the last-eight this year but otherwise it could be more of the same.
