Larry McCarthy: No plans for August All-Irelands in 2023

Speaking at the launch of the hurling All-Ireland series at Loughmore-Castleiney on Thursday, GAA president Larry McCarthy said there were no plans to move the 2023 finals back to August.

Following the success of the split season in 2020, a subsequent Congress vote in 2021 decreed that the inter-county championships would conclude at the end of July from this year onwards.

This would allow the entire second half of the year to the club season.

The split season has garnered huge support but in recent weeks some observers have commented that the inter-county series will end too soon in the year.

McCarthy says there are no moves afoot to extend the season by another week or two weeks.

"I'm not the boss," McCarthy said. "Central Council make that decision on that but we have to let this year go through and look at it.

"We're going to have a different year next year, we have to let that go through and see what that's going to bring. Maybe after that but I wouldn't foresee a change for next year."

McCarthy says that the format should be allowed room to breathe.

"Let it run and let's see what the implications of it are," he said.

"You can't make decisions midstream. Let it run out and then we'll look at it as we said we would and we'll have to do it again for next year because we're going to have a different competition structure [in the All-Ireland football championship].

"We'll know next year what it will look like with an increased volume of games and then we'll be able to make an informed decision."

McCarthy also addressed the frequent calls for particular games to be taken out of Croke Park.

Just last weekend the Kerry hurlers were unable to source accommodation for the evening of the Joe McDonagh Cup final.

On top of that there have