THE Donegal club championships could return to a knock-out format this year, while the 2020 League format may be postponed until next year.
The All-County Football League was due to get underway this weekend, but the future remains unclear with local officials awaiting some direction from Croke Park.
Yesterday, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced that there would be no sports activity in Ireland until at least April 19.
That was one of a number of measures announced by the Government in a bid to curtail the rapid spread of the Covid-19 virus.
The measures were described by Varadkar as being ‘unprecedented’, but were in response to an ‘unprecedented emergency’.
The GAA had already announced that the first Championship game of 2020 – the Connacht SFC meeting of New York and Galway – was being postponed and a further update is expected in the coming days from national level.
Locally, the CCC are considering several possibilities.
“The CCC seek clarification through central Council etc if they can postpone the current league format until 2021,” Donegal CCC Chair Frankie Doherty said.
“The CCC did meet on March 10th and tried to plan for the 2020 season.
“However until the national fixture plan is in place, no decision can be made.
“The CCC members are in almost daily contact. Should we be allowed change the format, the CCC will consult with all those involved first – the clubs, the hurling and football managers and the various boards.”
There are different options on the table as regards what format the 2020 Leagues could take if they are changed with the Co Board awaiting direction before putting these scenarios before the clubs.
Ordinarily, the draw for the club championships would have been conducted by now. However, due to the growing uncertainty regarding the impact of the coronavirus crisis, there has been no decision taken on the 2020 season.
Doherty added: “Clubs may also be asked to prepare for knock out championship for 2020.”
Nationally, the conclusion of the Allianz Leagues is expected to be shelved, while the Championship now seems certain to be, at best, deferred.
GAA chiefs have convened with the majority of county chairpersons as they aim to get some form of a solution in place.
The LGFA announced the cancellation of the 2020 Lidl National Leagues and say the TG4 Championship ‘will be reviewed on an ongoing basis’.
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