Cavan GAA pushes for return of pre-season competitions such as the McKenna Cup

Cavan GAA has put forward a motion for discussion at this Saturday's Central Council meeting, seeking to reinstate the January pre-season competitions that were previously scrapped.

These tournaments include the Dr McKenna Cup in Ulster, the O'Byrne and McGrath Cups in Leinster and Munster, and the FBD League in Connacht.

It was announced in September that the GAA’s pre-season tournaments such as the McKenna Cup in Ulster have been suspended for 2025 as part of a one-year trial, after which a review will determine if their removal from the fixtures calendar should be made permanent. 

The reasoning behind this proposal is to create a competitive setting where county teams can adapt to and trial the new rules currently under review.

This would allow squads to gain valuable experience with any rules that might be introduced at the Special Congress in late November before the Allianz Leagues begin.

Financially, the return of these tournaments could also offer benefits for the counties involved. Cavan is expected to receive backing from several other Ulster counties, although some counties in other provinces may not be as supportive of the motion.