By Cian O'Connell

GAA President John Horan has confirmed that the trophy awarded for the new Tier Two Championship will be called the Tailteann Cup.

Horan revealed the news during his Óráid at GAA Congress on Saturday.

"In ancient Ireland, our athletic and sporting prowess was celebrated every summer by the staging of the Tailteann Games, a festival that some scholars date as far back as 1600 BC," Horan stated.

“A recent meeting of Ard Chomhairle has agreed to dedicate a new trophy for the Tier Two senior football championship to be called the Tailteann Cup – a name that honours this link to Ireland’s sporting heritage and crowns modern day sporting heroes in one of our native games.

"This competition came out of a desire from several counties to have a championship that was inclusive and not exclusive.

"Far from being a radical new departure, it follows a tiered path that is well known in inter-county championship hurling, at club championship level, schools’ level and across our sister organisations where it has proven itself to be effective."

Horan also added that the closing rounds of the Tailteann Cup are expected to be broadcast live on television.

"The make-up of the Tailteann Cup will still be about finding winners and establishing who is the best – but will do so with a smaller field of teams on a more equal footing," Horan commented.

"It is vital that the marketing and promotion of this new competition delivers. In addition to having its own all-star selection, it is our intention to have the semi-finals and the final of the Tailteann Cup shown live on RTÉ television from Croke Park.

"I feel this competition is a good step forward and I hope everyone involved gives it a chance."