CCC chairman David McLoone keen to address state of reserve football in 2025

David McLoone has delivered his third annual report as Competition Controls Committee chairman and there are some interesting notes to pull from the comprehensive document. 

McLoone, who also holds the Donegal vice-chairman’s brief, oversaw that all adult fixtures were once again completed inside the calendar year with the U-21 finals wrapping just last week. 

However, in his report, he has highlighted the ongoing challenges he says are making it more and more difficult for clubs to sustain participation - with reserve football coming under the microscope. 

Indeed, McLoone reveals that he’s assembled a panel to look into our competitions and examine a way in which improvements can be made with the plight of reserve football or secondary teams top of the agenda there. 

He explains: “The ongoing discussion over what to do with football competitions persists. The challenges of changing demographics are evident in many clubs, whereby some are struggling to field a senior team, others a reserve team, or where the club size has outgrown the county competition structures (i.e. those in a position to field four adult teams or more than one U21 team). 

“Earlier in the year following requests by clubs that the competitions be reviewed, it was proposed by the CCC that a working group be brought together to look back on the season and make proposals on what improvements could be made, particularly regarding reserve football. 

“Upon completion of the championship, expressions of interest were sought from clubs to nominate individual interested in working through proposals and solutions. 

“A number of club representatives were nominated (spanning large to small clubs; senior to junior) along with the head of games development, demographics officer, fixtures analyst and some other CCC members making up the group. 

“The work included a survey to clubs as well as setting out alternative proposals to the current structures. 

“It is looking likely that a proposal to separate reserves from first teams for the leagues will be brought forward to try generate more competitiveness, jeopardy and therefore ownership of players towards first and reserve teams. Proposed changes to competitions will be dealt with prior to the 2025 regulations meeting”.

Meanwhile, McLoone says that the format of the club championships continues to please but he has taken on board some criticism last term in relation to the lack of seeding in the SFC when exiting the group stage and into knockout competition.  

And he says that will be revisited ahead of the 2025 SFC.  

“In the senior football championship, last year’s format was returned for 2024, notably keeping the preliminary quarter-finals. 

“This change was met with much positivity in 2023 as it offered clubs a chance of staying in the competition even if they had a tough draw for the league stage, whilst also ensuring every club played knock-out championship. 

“On the flip side, clubs finishing in the top four again felt that there should have been seeding for the quarter-finals as a reward for finishing in the top places. This is something that can be considered for 2025”.

Elsewhere, McLoone says clubs that are still without an adult referee need to be more proactive in filling the few voids left. 

“Thank you again to the panel of referees who officiated throughout the season. Well done to the RAC through the Referees Administrator Pat Walsh, Don Langan and Noel Mullaney on their recruitment drive at the start of the year. 

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“It was great to see new referees pick up the whistle. Almost all clubs now have at least one adult referee. 

“Those still without a referee are urged to identify suitable candidates and get them trained up, as to even get an underage referee will alleviate pressure on the referees for adult fixtures.

“This recruitment drive must continue into the coming years. We ask all clubs to continue to identify people who are genuinely interested in becoming a referee to come forward for training. 

“All a club has to do is look at the number of fixtures it fulfils in any given week, and then think how many referees are required to officiate those games across a county like ours, particularly with cross over to LGFA”. 

With Special Congress rubberstamping the Football Review Committee’s new set of playing rules, the CCC are also looking into training up ‘sideline officials’ to assist with the roles out of the changes, domestically, next season. 

“In addition, if as expected the new football rules get passed at Special Congress, then there will be even more demands on our referees on what is already a tough job. 

“The CCC has been giving some thought to this, and are considering what might help, such as a ‘referee light’ course that could train suitable persons to act as sideline officials to assist with aspects of the new and existing rules”.