Only last month, Dessie Farrell admitted he was no longer a fan of the provincial championships in the wider context of the All-Ireland SFC.
“I’d be very open to change,” he told a podcast hosted by Donegal native Ciaran Cannon. “The one thing we shouldn’t be afraid to do in the GAA is experiment.
“You can always revert back to something that was successful in the past, if we believe that.
“But I do like the idea of changing things up, and experimenting.
Hes not alone. And its not difficult to see why.
This morning, Dublin ten-in-a-row Leinster champions were drawn against either Wicklow or Wexford in this years quarter-finals.
Last year, Wicklow went to Wexford Park and won in the opening round of the Leinster championship, their second victory there in a week following promotion from Division 4, two significant achievements at the end of Davy Burkes first season there.
A week later, they lost to Meath by 7-14 to 0-7. A short time later, Dublin beat Meath by 3-21 to 0-9.
As a competitive entity, this province has been a dead duck for quite some time.
It doesnt help that the prescriptive nature of the Leinster draw, which gives last years semi-finalists an automatic place in the quarter-finals and more to the point, keeps them apart, negates any real chance of a surprise before the semi-final.
And in the context of Dublin, whose dominance over football stretches far beyond provincial lines, its near impossible to make a case for anyone beating them at any stage.
Just as it is hard to see Meath having trouble beating whichever team emerges from Carlows clash with Longford.
Kildares unpredictability might give Offaly or Louth some hope but again, its difficult to conjure much excitement at this remove, other than the natural fascination that will accompany Mickey Harte to a new competition.
Particularly so given Leinster Councils decision to hold back on drawing the semi-finals until such time as the participants are known.
Indeed, the pick of the ties made today is Laois v Westmeath, a tie that has traditionally been one of the most competitive in the province.
LEINSTER SFC 2021 DRAW
First round
Offaly v Louth
Wicklow v Wexford
Carlow v Longford
Quarter-final
Kildare v Offaly/Louth
Dublin v Wicklow/Wexford
Laois v Westmeath
Meath v Carlow/Longford
Times and dates TBC
Online Editors
Only last month, Dessie Farrell admitted he was no longer a fan of the provincial championships in the wider context of the All-Ireland SFC.
