The draw was made on 5 December 2018[2][3] with the fixtures confirmed following a meeting of Comhairle Uladh CCC later in the month.

This decision followed an almost universal campaign by GAA county team managers in the media against its permanent introduction[9] The Gaelic Players Association (GPA) were also strongly against the three handpass rule.

[10] The remaining four experimental rules were trialled in the 2019 National Football League which began on 26 January 2019 and ended on 31 March 2019.

Jim Gavin, the Dublin manager, said the decision to experiment in the league, the GAA's second tier inter-county competition, was "disrespectful".

Both Tyrone and Armagh agreed to play without the rule as it had been abandoned by Central Council in the hours just before the final.