The structure of GAA club championships all over the country has been evolving at a rapid pace in recent years, as counties try to standardise the numbers of teams at each grade and adapt to the changing nature of clubs to take into account population changes and amalgamations. In order to have 16 teams at senior level next year in the Galway championship, two clubs will be relegated to Intermediate, with one promoted. That also means that two teams will be relegated from the Intermediate championship this year, with one to be promoted. To that extent, Galway GAA have created two competitions this year in Gaelic Football, a level below Intermediate.
The first competition is called the PRIMARY JUNIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP. This is a competition for clubs' first teams and is divided into both North and West regions. In the North section, MENLOUGH are into the final, awaiting the winner of this Saturday's semi-final between HEADFORD and ATHENRY (4 pm Headford). In the West section, CLONBUR are already in the final, where they meet the winner of Sunday's semi-final between CARNA CASHEL and FR GRIFFINS EIRE ÓG (1 pm Carna). The eventual winner of the County Primary Junior Football Championship will go on to represent Galway in the Connacht Junior Club Football Championship. The winner will also qualify for a promotion play-off final to Intermediate, where they play the winner of the Primary Junior 2 football championship.
The second competition is called the PRIMARY JUNIOR 2 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONHIP. This is a competition for club's second or third teams. The six teams remaining in this competition all come from clubs whose first teams are in the senior championship. MOUNTBELLEW MOYLOUGH and CLAREGALWAY are already through to the semi-finals, where they will be joined by the winners of the two quarter-finals fixed for this weekend. On Friday night at 8 pm, TUAM STARS are at home to MAIGH CUILINN, while on Saturday evening at 5.45 pm in the Prairie, SALTHILL KNOCKNACARRA take on COROFIN. The eventual winner of the Primary Junior 2 Football Championship will qualify for a promotion play-off final to Intermediate, against the winner of the Primary Junior Football Championship.
The level below the Primary Junior and Primary Junior 2 football championships is the JUNIOR A football championship. Glinsk play St Michaels in the North final on Saturday at 5.15 pm in Tuam Stadium, while An Cheathru Rua play Killannin in the West final on Sunday at 12.30 pm in Oughterard. The two winners meet in the county Junior A final, with promotion to either the Primary Junior or Primary Junior 2 championship (depending on who wins) up for grabs.
