Former GAA president Sean Kelly has called for a review of the All-Ireland football qualifier system after all four losing provincial finalists were beaten in last Saturday's fourth round games.

Sligo, Monaghan, Limerick and Louth all bowed out of the championship after losing to opponents who had built up momentum in the earlier rounds of the backdoor series. It means that out of 40 losing provincial finalists in the 10 years since the qualifiers were introduced, just 14 have availed of their second chance.

Writing in the Irish Examiner, Kelly said: "What a graveyard the qualifiers have become for the runners-up in provincial finals. Up to this year, the success rate of defeated provincial finalists was only 38 per cent, which was worrying in itself but after last Saturday when all four provincial finalists exited the championship, it must be a cause of real concern.

"Certainly, the qualifiers haven't much to offer defeated provincial finalists. Last Saturday's results show clearly that there is need for reassessment of the qualifiers.

"The present situation makes a mockery of the efforts of the four teams who contribute enormously to provincial championships."