Public attitude key if Tailteann Cup to avoid Tommy Murphy Cup fate

In 2022 there will be 33 counties competing in our Provincial Senior Football Championships. All players and supporters will approach the competitions in a positive manner.

Some teams will believe they will win and others will play more in hope. The reality is that there is a gap in expectation and ability between different counties.

The reality has always been that our Championship system rewards the most successful counties. They will train together for months longer than the counties that are knocked out of the championship early. That has increased the gap between counties.

More games for counties in the Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard and Lory Meagher Cups has been a positive for hurling. Surely the Tailteann Cup can be successful for football.

When the imaginatively named All Ireland B started in 1990 some counties used the competition to build momentum and spend more time on developing their teams. Remember this was a time that there was no back door, when you lose you were out. It was a long wait before you came together as a team the following year.

There was clearly some counties that benefited from this competition.

Leitrim won the All Ireland B in 1990 and then won Connacht in 1994. Clare won the B All Ireland in 1991 and then won a Munster title in 1992.

If their players or respective managers, John O'Mahony and John Maughan, were asked if the All Ireland B run helped to build belief and confidence in their squad the answer could only be 'Yes’.

The Tommy Murphy Cup was introduced in 2004. Tommy Murphy was a Graiguecullen and Laois star, who was selected on the Team of the Millennium. This competition was introduced with a number of perks to encourage players and counties to embrace it. The final was to be played in