GAA president Aogán Ó Fearghaíl insists that Galway should be able contest ties in the Leinster hurling championship on home turf and says that all counties competing in the championships should be equally treated.
Ó Fearghaíl said that the "experiment" of moving teams into Leinster has finished and now that they are part of the competition, they should be treated fairly.
"There was an experimentation period," he said, "For me that period should be now passed. Galway are full participants of Leinster. It has been good for the Leinster championship and it has been good for Galway.
"Once it has got to that stage it would be much fairer, it would look better and it would be better for all counties involved if Galway had the same arrangements as all other counties in the championship."
He also referred to the Leinster championship as a "rest of Ireland" championship, citing that other traditionally smaller counties in the code of hurling can compete to take part.
"In truth, it’s a rest of Ireland championship, in terms of who participates in it. Kerry, Antrim occasionally, Galway participates.
"That’s the way it is moving. I know at the moment a lot of Leinster counties wouldn’t share that view. But all I can be is honest about the situation. It is now becoming a rest of Ireland championship and anyone who is in it deserves the same rights as whoever is in it already."
Galway have become a prominent member of the Leinster hurling championship since their introduction in 2009. Image: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne
He also said that the move bring Galway's minors and U21 hurlers to follow the seniors into the Leinster championship would be their decision.
"It would probably be a bit wrong for me to tell Galway where they should participate with their minor and their U-21. That’s a decision that Galway will have to take. If they are keen and the rest of Leinster are keen to accommodate that.
"That is again a democratic decision, that is a strength. Sometimes people see it as a weakness but I see it as a strength in the GAA. There is a democracy there and people will argue their case and eventually the best argument will win out."
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