GAA president Jarlath Burns says it could take two decades for hurling to rise to a higher standard outside of the top counties.

It comes after last weekend’s All-Ireland SHC quarter-finals failed to produce spectacles, with Clare cruising past Dublin at Semple Stadium on Saturday before Cork crushed Offaly by 25 points at the Thurles venue on Sunday.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Burns said that the issues in the game aren’t ones that are going to be solved overnight.

"Hurling has never been stronger in Ireland," said the Armagh man. "There are more people playing hurling at a higher level than ever before. You're seeing the likes of Kildare making breakthrough. Carlow and Laois, these counties are in the chasing pack.

"The biggest challenge is the difference between winning the Joe McDonagh and making the breakthrough into Liam MacCarthy, because the standard at Liam MacCarthy, particularly in the Munster Championship, is so high.

"It is really, really difficult for a lot of other counties to make that."

He added: "The Hurling Development Committee have taken a very, very long-term view on this. Our attitude is that you are never going to have other counties participating in the Liam MacCarthy Cup as long as you don't have clubs.

"For example, in Armagh, there's only eight hurling clubs. You would really need 18 or 20 for Armagh to make a serious challenge on getting even into the Christy Ring or Joe McDonagh.

"We are not going to solve this particular challenge overnight or even in the next three or four years.

"It could take maybe 20 years for us to get to the level that we want."

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