IN  a mass fixture overhaul at the annual GAA Congress a fortnight ago, it was agreed that the Post-Primary All-Ireland Championships must be completed the weekend after St Patrick’s Day. This lead to a sense of fear from the colleges that they are going to lose their live television exposure that comes with the Ulster showpiece final.

The MacRory Cup final, usually played on St Patrick’s Day, will now be brought forward by about four weeks  next year, meaning it will be played towards the end of February.

On Monday afternoon, a spokesperson for BBC Northern Ireland said: “BBC Sport NI is committed to covering the MacRory Cup final live on TV and has been in dialogue with the Ulster Schools’ GAA Council about potential future dates for the showpiece game.”

Ulster Colleges secretary  Seamus Woods has confirmed said that while there is no formal agreement in place yet with BBC, they are totally committed to covering the Ulster Colleges final whenever it is scheduled to be played.

“We are fully aware of those arrangements from the Croke Park side. We haven’t spoken in detail to BBC about the logistics of it yet but obviously the MacRory Cup final would be moving forward to late February and BBC are committed to televising that final as usual.

“When it comes forward to late February, we would also be working around the National League, which will be in progress at that time, so we will have to fit it around National League weekends as well. It will be part of the general GAA coverage at the time.

“BBC are very keen to maintain what they have been doing for the past 30  years. It is a bigger event in Ulster than any other event in Ireland. With the MacRory Cup final you would have crowds ranging from six to nine thousand people, plus the live coverage.”

By Mark McGoldrick