*Aaron Griffin takes on the Kerry defence in the 2025 Munster final. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
PLANS to have a seeded Munster senior football championship have been paused for 2026.
Next year’s senior provincial football championship will remain as it has been for a decade meaning that champions Kerry and runners-up Clare will advance directly to the semi-finals. Cork, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford will be competing in the quarter-finals which are scheduled to be held on April 11th with the semi-finals down to be played on April 25th.
Following a vote in July, Munster Council had intended to keeping the top two-ranked counties in the National Football League in opposing semi-finals. This was to result in Kerry and Cork receiving byes to the semi-finals at the Munster championship draws which are to take place on November 27th.
In a change of heart, the Munster Council have now decided that this system will not come into effect until 2027 meaning the upcoming Division 3 league campaign carries even greater weight for Paul Madden’s Clare. They will be joined in the third tier by Limerick coached by Quilty’s Evan Talty.
Clare have qualified for the last three Munster finals, falling short to Jack O’Connor’s Kerry on each occasion.
Munster GAA when contacted by The Clare Echo two weeks ago on the potential of keeping with the same format said no agreement had been reach. Clare GAA’s Munster Council delegates were also unaware of such a move when it was flagged with them a fortnight ago.
