Players react with fury as Congress pass ‘Super 8’ motion

‘So out of touch, just shows championship isn’t only structural issue within the GAA’

GAA Congress have voted in favour of the ‘Super 8’. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
GAA Congress have voted in favour of the ‘Super 8’. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho

The GAA Congress this morning passed the motion to replace the All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals with a ‘Super 8’ round-robin format - despite both the club and county player bodies being overwhelmingly against the motion.

Nevertheless every GAA player in the country had a combined vote of one, and the motion passed with ease - 76 per cent in favour, with only two speakers addressing the floor in opposition .

The news however has not gone down well with the players. With Clare dual player Podge Collins leading the cast of current and former inter county players who have been venting their fury on social media (not to mention the club players).

“Super 8 is in!What a load of sh**e...More games to delay club champs, more money for GAA, would they not just do a Super 32 altogether”, the 2013 hurling All Star tweeted.

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“Ridiculous... disappointing... farcical” - Here’s some of the rest of the player twitter reaction:

The real reason for the "super 8 " and thoughts behind it <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GAA?src=hash">#GAA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Congress2017?src=hash">#Congress2017</a> <a href="https://t.co/YT2CrL0fDu">pic.twitter.com/YT2CrL0fD</a>

Eamon Donoghue

Eamon Donoghue

Eamon Donoghue is a former Irish Times journalist