Motion to dispense with All-Ireland SHC preliminary quarter-finals passed

Tipperary defeated Laois in a 2025 All-Ireland SHC preliminary quarter-final. Photo by Daire Brennan/Sportsfile
A motion to dispense with the All-Ireland SHC preliminary quarter-finals was passed at the GAA's Annual Congress.

The proposal to get rid of the All-Ireland SHC preliminary quarter-finals, and introduce a new semi-final round in the Joe McDonagh Cup received 94 per cent support.

PJ Kelly, Laois GAA chairperson, said: "One of the main goals introducing the Joe McDonagh Cup was to provide meaningful games against teams of a similar level.

"Unfortunately, the preliminary quarter-finals have resulted in heavy defeats. Only one team from the Joe McDonagh Cup has won a preliminary quarter-final in 2019 - that was ourselves."

Carlow GAA chairperson John McDonald seconded the motion. "We will be supporting the motion, and the semi-finals in the Joe McDonagh Cup will be healthy for the competition."

Terry Reilly, chairperson of the Hurling Development Committee, also spoke in favour of the proposal. "In our Hurling Development Committee roadshows, we talked to a lot of people - and the message we got back was what was outlined by PJ.

"This will give a more competitive Joe McDonagh Cup."