Kerins O’Rahillys are proposing major changes to the Kerry county football championship structures in a bid to ‘level the playing field’.

The reigning Munster club champions will join their Tralee rivals Austin Stacks in the intermediate ranks next year following their SFC relegation playoff defeat to Na Gaeil last weekend. But they aren’t taking it lying down and have called for divisional teams – who have had a monopoly on the Bishop Moynihan Cup in recent years – to be restricted to intermediate level while doubling the number of clubs in the top flight to 16.

In a statement posted on social media, Kerins O’Rahillys said "the sense of disappointment was tinged with anger and ire that this situation could occur whilst we are still the reigning Munster senior club champions.

"Anger with the county board and their sense that eight senior clubs is the maximum allowed at county championship level and ire at the special status afforded to divisional sides who are exempt from relegation / demotion from the top tier."

They are proposing the following:

1. Existing 8 senior clubs be joined in the senior county championship by the 8 quarter-finalists from this year’s intermediate championship.

2. The remaining 8 intermediate clubs be joined by the 8 divisional sides who will compete with only junior clubs available to them - this may require some tweaking as Mid Kerry would be shorn of 4 clubs leaving them with just 2 to pick from but it’s not insurmountable.

3. ‘Relegation/demotion to take place at senior county championship level with the divisions remaining sacrosanct and if good enough progressing to intermediate and then onto to senior.

 

A level playing field #ClubZap. See https://t.co/dY1i4K8qoI for more.

— Kerins O'Rahillys (@korgaa) November 2, 2023

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