The problem people forget when looking at a tiered hurling v a tiered football is the gulf between top and bottom. Take Dublin beating Louth as a barometer for the gap in football. If the current tipp team played Louth in hurling they would likely score a lot more and concede a lot less than the dubs did. That's why you can complete remove counties from the Liam McCarthy (e.g. louth). When the joe mcdonagh was created the likes of laois and westmeath knew that without a chance to have a shot at a big team hurling would go backwards fast and hence it had to be linked to Liam. Something similar is needed in football.
My idea would be to have 3 tiers. 2 with 12 counties and 1 with 8 or 9 (depending on new york). Basically split each into 2 groups with top team in tier 2 and 3 groups going into a final. These winners then get a shot at the 4th place team from tier 1 groups in an all Ireland qualifier with the 2 qualifier winners joing top 3 teams from eash tier 1 group in traditional quarterfinals. Bottom team in each tier 1 and 2 group get relegated to be replaced by the finalists from 2 and 3 for following year. Teams get multiple games against teams of same standard without it being a simple rehash of the league but still have the possibility of a match against a top team. Big problem is the provinces disappear but I'd try fit them in before the league instead of the current preseason comps.
All-Ireland Senior Championship - 2 groups of 8. Same groups for 2 years. Playing a team at home one year will mean playing them away in the year after.
Group winners advance to semi-finals. 2nd v 3rd in the quarter-finals.
Bottom teams into relegation final. Loser relegated. Winner takes on Intermediate runner-up in playoff.
The Intermediate Championship could consist of 2 groups of 8 as well.
The two 4th placed teams in the Senior Championship could playoff in a semi-final, with the winners taking on New York in some North Atlantic Cup or whatever anyone wants to call it.