Tailteann Cup: What is needed for the second-tier championship to be successful in its inaugural year?
Jim McGuinness and Peter Canavan discuss what needs to happen for the Tailteann Cup to be successful, while Fermanagh manager Kieran Donnelly says that his team will target the second-tier championship following their defeat to Tyrone
Tuesday 19 April 2022 11:54, UK
The inaugural Tailteann Cup is taking shape.
Defeats for Fermanagh, London and New York on the opening weekend of the provincial championships ensured the three teams will be competing in the new second-tier championship this summer.
More teams will join them in the coming weeks, with potentially 17 counties competing for the prize.
But for the Tailteann Cup to prove a hit, it will need to be given proper supports, according to the Sky Sports pundits.
"Personally for me, I think those games should be played as precursors to the other [championship] games, and be part of the big day and big occasion," said Jim McGuinness after watching Tyrone's victory over Fermanagh.
"I just hope what Kieran [Donnelly] is intimating isn't the case; that there's not games played in pitches with 400, 500 or 600 people. That is the wrong way to go about it. Hopefully that won't be the case.
"Hopefully teams will get behind it. It was obvious that the Fermanagh lads were playing for Kieran, right to the end. It's obvious that he's hoping to keep that energy going and build on it."
Peter Canavan was in agreement, arguing that the Tailteann Cup decider should be played as a curtain-raiser to the All-Ireland final.
"They [Fermanagh] are going into a competition now where they believe they're good enough to win it. It's going to give these lads competitive games in the summer, when you want to be playing football," he said.
"The key thing is that it's got to be marketed. The final is down prior to an All-Ireland semi-final. Why is it not down prior to an All-Ireland final? Just to give it the bit of oomph that they need for a competition like that in its first year.
"There should be separate sponsors for the competition, separate All-Star awards, and there has to be meaningful exposure.
"Kieran has a very good set-up there, in the backroom team and whatnot. The players are playing for him, and Fermanagh will definitely give it a good rattle.
"If it was in years gone by, they would be entering the qualifiers knowing they might get a decent run, but not believing the Sam Maguire.
"They're now entering a competition where they have to believe they can win it, where they get meaningful games in the summer and the prospect of being the first winners of the Tailteann Cup should be enough to motivate the side."
Donnelly: We will target it
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Fermanagh boss Donnelly said they will be gunning for the competition as they eye silverware.
"It's something that we can work towards, a competition between the Division 3 and 4 teams," he said.
"We will target it. I just hope that it's promoted and marketed properly, that we give it the right standing, which I've no doubt it will be. We will take that on as our next challenge."
There is a five-week break until their first-round tie, and it will be a challenge for Donnelly and Co to retain all players in the panel, with some footballers looking to travel for the summer.
"It's five weeks down the line, which is a massive gap for us," he said.
"That takes managing. This is a young squad. I go back to my own playing days, the All-Ireland B was something we built on, that's something we have to sell to our players, that it's something we can win and push on with, and gain experience from playing more championship games. We have to take it like that."
But McGuinness says Fermanagh can use the long lead-in to their advantage: "If I had a five-week break, I'd be rubbing my hands.
"It's an opportunity to absolutely go hard for three weeks, taper them down for the second-last week, and then just wrap them up for the last week and be in perfect shape.
"It's a fantastic opportunity. They'll be good to go."
Sky Sports' live GAA coverage continues on Saturday with a huge hurling double-header. Watch Wexford vs Dublin and Limerick vs Waterford live on Sky Sports Arena from 4.30pm
