There will be no change to the days of the All-Ireland football and hurling finals from next year, after a motion to amend this was defeated today at the GAA congress.
Motion 7 stated: "The Football Final shall be played on the first Sunday in September, except when there are five Sundays in September when it shall be played on the second Sunday of that month. The Hurling Final shall be played on the Sunday two weeks previous to the Football Final in either circumstance. In exceptional circumstances, the Central Council may make other arrangements.”
Despite earning a majority of the votes (60.8 per cent), it could not meet the two-thirds (66 per cent) required for the motion to pass.
The motion was put forward to ease the congested GAA fixture list and pave the way for a more comprehensive calendar fixtures plan.
We will instead now remain with the preordained schedule.
Also defeated was motion, which sought to to make extra-time obligatory for practically all games, with a handful of exceptions, namely All-Ireland finals and provincial finals.
Ard Stiúrthóir Páraic Duffy spoke in favour of the change, but it was defeated after receiving only 57.5 per cent of the votes.
This will mean that replays for even preliminary championship games will result in replays should it end in a draw.
The congress continues this afternoon...
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