The GAA's Central Competitions Control Committee is recommending that any county with fewer than five adult hurling teams should compete in the fifth-tier Lory Meagher Cup only from 2025 onwards.
If Central Council passes the recommendation, it would see Cavan, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Longford and Louth confined to the competition, reducing their inter-county season from six to three months. Louth are the only one of the counties that will play above Lory Meagher level this year.
The other three months would see an increased focus placed on hurling development on those counties.
Packages will be put in place to help raise the number of adult hurlers and teams in those counties. More coaches will be provided to schools and clubs, with a number of start-up grants available.
The CCCC says that once these counties are in a position to field five or more adult teams for a period of three years, they will be readmitted to the National Hurling League, where they currently compete in Division 3A and Division 3B.
It's estimated that a cumulative spend of €863,000 financed senior inter-county hurling panels in those counties alone this year.
The GAA is concerned that while positive work is ongoing at underage level in those counties, no progress has been made in terms of increasing adult participation. The number of teams has actually been trending in the wrong direction.
Since the GAA's annual report in 2008, Louth has gone from fielding eight sides to three (Knockbridge, Naomh Moninne, St Fechin's), Leitrim has seen a drop from five teams to two (Carrick, Glencar/Manorhamilton), Longford (Clonguish, Longford Slashers, Wolfe Tones) and Cavan (East Cavan Gaels, Cootehill Celtic, Mullahoran) have lost a team each and have three clubs, while Fermanagh is home to two teams from three (Lisbellaw, Erne Gaels).
Central Council will decide in December whether or not to adopt the motion.
