Now in its second season, it means that teams from the northern province could potentially have to play 12 games if they were to make it to an All-Ireland final, with the decider only going to 'winner on the day’ in the event of a replay.
The debate over the strength – and commitment needed – to compete in Ulster compared to Dublin and Kerry in Dublin and Leinster respectively has long been a talking point, and Whelan feels the "imbalance" will only become more apparent with the new group formats.
"If Donegal were to be in a preliminary quarter-final, it’s another game for them – it's a preliminary game, quarter-final, semi-final on top of all the games they have played in the Ulster championship and the energy that has gone in up in the Ulster championship.
"Look at Derry and the injuries they’ve picked up and you look at Armagh picking up the injuries, they’ve a lot of miles on the clock already this year while Dublin and Kerry have just been able to tip away."
"It is a massive downside for the Ulster teams....you’re coming out of that system into a round-robin before you get to a preliminary quarter-final and you have to go three weekends in a row," he added.
Éamonn Fitzmaurice, meanwhile, feels that the Tir Chonaill County’s loss to the Rebels – their first in league or championship this season – could prove particularly costly if they don’t top the group given their all-action style.
"If they ended up in that situation it wouldn’t be ideal for them because of the nature of the game they play.
"Playing three weeks in a row would be tough going."
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
