A Mayo GAA guide to the complex new All-Ireland SFC format

by Aiden Henry

It is hard to believe that within seven days of playing the National League final, Mayo are out again playing in the championship.

But with the new format for the All-Ireland senior football series coming into play this year – which is going to involve a serious amount of games – it is easy to see why this early start to the championship is necessary, especially as the championship has to be finished by the end of July.

The burning question now for Mayo and indeed Roscommon is if this game is a must-win for either. Of course, every county has always wanted to win their provincial title.

But doing so now could now come at a big cost if a county's ultimate aim is to win the All-Ireland title.

We all know that at the beginning of the year, the one big aspiration teams like Kerry, Dublin, Mayo, Roscommon, Galway, Tyrone and Derry was to be crowned All-Ireland champions at the end of July. That will be no easy task this year.

To put it in perspective, the winners of Mayo versus Roscommon could have to play a total of 10 games in a 16-week period if they are to be crowned All-Ireland champions.

The losers of next Sunday’s game could win the Sam Maguire by playing just seven in that same 16-week period and win the All-Ireland. It seems crazy but it is the reality.

Let’s look at it in more detail.

For a start, regardless of who wins or loses between Mayo and Roscommon next Sunday, both teams will be involved in the All-Ireland quarterfinal series.

Ultimately, 16 counties will compete in the new round robin All-Ireland preliminary quarterfinal group stage.

These 16 counties will be seeded as follows: first seeds - the four provincial champions; second seeds - the four provincial runners-up; third seeds - the next four highest ranked teams at the conclusion of Division 1 of the league; fourth seeds - the next four highest ranked teams at the conclusion of the league.

The exceptions for the fourth seeds will include the previous year's Tailteann Cup winner (Westmeath, in this case) if they do not reach the Leinster championship final and any team from Divisions 3 and 4 that qualify for their provincial finals.

Take Connacht, for instance. It very much looks as though either Sligo or Leitrim – both Division 4 teams this year – will be in the Connacht decider, which will give them a spot in the All-Ireland quarterfinal group series.

This will result in some of the teams who finished in the bottom half of Division 2 having to play in the Tailteann Cup.

The All-Ireland quarterfinal round robin first phase schedule of matches is pre-determined, with each team playing one home and one away game in the opening two rounds. The round three fixtures will be played at neutral venues.

These three rounds of phase one will start with Seed 1 v Seed 3 and Seed 2 v Seed 4. Round two fixturs are Seed 3 v Seed 2 and Seed 4 v Seed 1. Round three (at neutral venues) will see Seed 1 v Seed 2 and Seed 3 v Seed 4.

When this phase one of the quarterfinals have concluded, 12 counties will advance to the All-Ireland SFC knockout stages.

The winners of the four group from phase one go straight into the quarterfinals, while the other four teams to join them in the last eight will be the winners of the playoffs between the second and third placed teams from the round robin group stage.

The winners of these four playoff games will be pitted against the four winners of the group stages in the quarterfinals.

It all seems a little complicated. But the reality of it all is that Mayo – and indeed Roscommon, for that matter – could lose next Sunday’s game, have a six-week break, lose two of their games in the All-Ireland phase one round robin series and still end up in the All-Ireland quarterfinal knockout stage of the championship.

All of this leaves managers Kevin McStay (Mayo) and Davy Burke (Roscommon) with a dilemma.

The questions they will be asking themselves is this: Is winning the provincial title a priority?

If so, it could mean having to play 10 games in a 16-week period if the real aspiration is to win the All-Ireland, which would take a lot of doing and ask a lot of their players.

Injuries will be picked up left, right and centre, which could hinder a team's chances when it comes down to the business end of the All-Ireland championship.

One other thing that has to be considered is the supporters. Will they be able to afford to attend all of these games?

However, taking everything into consideration, I am of the opinion that both Mayo and Roscommon will be going all-out to win the Connacht championship and go at it hammer and tongs next Sunday in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park.

Mayo’s Kevin McStay will want to keep the winning run going and will feel he has assembled a panel of players more than capable to deal with what ever amount of games they have to play.

The bottom line is this: Mayo never like to lose to Roscommon. And vice-versa.

But?