ALL-IRELAND SFC SEMI-FINALS:THE NOVELTY that is the 2010 GAA football championship will see the four counties competing in the All-Ireland semi-finals later this month without having contested a provincial final.

The demise of all eight teams involved in the provincial deciders highlights a major flaw in the football structures. The four runners-up - Sligo, Monaghan, Limerick and Louth - were beaten by qualifier teams, with the first two suffering from a six-day turnaround after morale-sapping defeats to Roscommon and Tyrone respectively.

Louth were unable to rediscover their Leinster form against an improving Dublin, while Limerick lost to Cork after extra-time.

The eclipse of the runners-up was alarming in itself but the four champions also being beaten over the weekend signifies the qualifiers as the essential route to an All-Ireland title - as Kerry proved last season and Tyrone in 2008.

"We have had the benefit of the back-door system before," noted Kerry selector Ger O'Keeffe. "It has been good to us in the past. There is definitely something about the fact that provincial winners don't get a second chance. And then there is the time element between winning and playing the All-Ireland quarter-final."

The match statistics from the four quarter-finals don't provide much clarity. Cork and Down carried more and completed a significantly greater number of passes than Roscommon and Kerry. Tyrone's defeat to Dublin, from a statistical perspective anyway, stems primarily from their 17 wides. They had 56 per cent of the possession, completed almost double the number of accurate passes and carried 117 times to Dublin's 74.

Tyrone, like Kerry, Roscommon and Meath, met a side that had been playing and winning matches for several consecutive weeks.

Kildare played their best football in their sixth game, Down played their best football in their fourth game in a row, as did Dublin. Teams that get a momentum going appear to have an advantage.

Several county managers agree the Central Competitions Control Committee must revisit the current system.

"There is a flaw in the system but how do you get around it?" asked Sligo manager Kevin Walsh. "Everything is now commercialised and television and media involved, so it is more difficult."

Sligo and Monaghan were victims of what appears to be an unfair structure that sees the defeated, and understandably depressed, provincial runners-up expected to mend bruised psyches and up performance levels after just a few days licking their wounds.

Sligo were having a great campaign, defeating Mayo then Galway, before the surprise loss to an inspired Roscommon. A week later they were emptied by a Down side long recovered from their Ulster semi-final defeat to Tyrone.

"It effected our season," Walsh continued. "We had a very tough draw, we had to play Galway a second time, so we had to peak three times before Roscommon (in the Connacht final) and then to go out in a week's time against Down (and perform) was impossible.

"I'm not saying we would have won but a break would have improved our chances."

This may sound like a defeated manager making excuses but that is not how Walsh goes about his business. And he is not alone. The eight provincial finalists' departure from the championship signals a problem, and could drastically influence a team's attitude to the provincial competitions in 2011.

"If it keeps going this way we will have to look and see is it worth winning your first championship match. You are peaking for the league and the championship, I don't know how you can keep it going."

So, basically, lose your first match and set out on the qualifier route that ensures week to week game time that evidently allows the collective performance to reach a crescendo in September.

"That cannot be the attitude and it is not but if it was the attitude you wouldn't have the eight out."

O'Keeffe does not posses a magic solution either, but he does provide some logical suggestions.

"The All-Ireland quarter-finals should be played two weeks after the provincial finals - four weeks is too long. They devised a system to give teams extra games but they are penalising the provincial winners. That's the reality. The system now needs tweaking.

"Either the provincial championship is sacrosanct or it isn't. You may have to look at getting rid of the provincial championship.

"The qualifier teams have done very well, the provincial losers weren't able to get up for their next game in such a short period of time and then the provincial winners suffered due to a long time gap until they play."

Over to the CCCC.

For dethroned champions Kerry, O'Keeffe felt obliged to voice high praise for the team that finally ended a run of six years playing September football.

"Down reminded me of our team in '75 - that was the start of a young team. Down have won a minor and under-21 championship. They just needed something to kick start them. Losing early to Tyrone and then building back definitely benefited them."