In a major but not unexpected change since the competition was inaugurated seven seasons ago, the All-Ireland League first division title will be decided next season after play-offs. The new sponsors for the next three years will be Allied Irish Bank.
The final details of the sponsorship were agreed yesterday at a meeting between IRFU officers led by union president Niall Brophy and bank officials. Although no financial details were announced, I understand that the deal will be worth £1 million over the three-year period. That represents by some way the biggest domestic sponsorship the IRFU has agreed. It is a considerable increase on the sum of money invested by the previous sponsors, Insurance Corporation.
The first division title will be decided by play-offs on a knock-out basis between the top four clubs. That development has been under consideration for some time by a committee under the chairmanship of IRFU senior vice-president Noel Murphy. It should give the league a significant and welcome impetus. But the alterations in the league structure go further. At the end of next season the first division will be reduced from 14 to 12 clubs - a step in the right direction if not necessarily a step far enough.
By progressive means the league for 1999-2000 will consist of 12 clubs in divisions one, three and four and 13 in division two.
After the first division clubs have completed their 13-match programme next season, the semifinal plays-offs will see the team finishing first play the club finishing fourth and the sides finishing second and third will meet in the other semi-final. The teams in first and second positions will enjoy home advantage and the final will take place at Lansdowne Road.
The bottom three clubs in the first division will be automatically relegated next season, and possibly a fourth, and the top club in division two will be promoted. There will be a play-off between the team finishing fourth from bottom in the first division and the club finishing second in division two to decide which will be in the first division. This will bring the number of clubs in the division for the season 199899 to the proposed 12.
No fewer than six clubs will be involved in the play-offs for the first division title at the end of the season after next, thus widening the scope of the play-off series and offering further incentive to the clubs. With that prospect and the spectre of relegation at the other end, it should mean that there will be incentive for all right to the end of the league.
It was the senior clubs themselves who decided at a meeting with the IRFU officers during last season that they wanted the status quo to obtain with regard to the numerical strength of each division for next season. A counter proposal to have the number of clubs in the first division reduced was defeated. At that meeting every club in the second division last season voted against any change as did five of the 14 first division clubs.
In those circumstances it presented major difficulties for Noel Murphy and his committee to make any change next season in the numerical composition of the divisions. But the play-offs for the title and the new relegation structure will give the league an added dimension.
