National Forum

Joe Mc Donagh Cup

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This has the makings of a really tight and entertaining competition with real in built incentive to progress. No easy game here.
Any idea of fixture list as yet
Only 6 teams with one going to down to Christy Ring next year and top 2 included in play off stages of Mc Carthy cup.
Each team getting 5 games is immense

Blackbog (Carlow) - Posts: 704 - 10/04/2018 08:42:18    2091995

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has the makings of a great competition,but with my clairvoyant hat on,if dublin finish bottom of the leinster championship,the leinster championship will be restructured to suit them next year.but if offaly finish bottom,thats grand.
also gas that if a leinster team finish top they get automatic promotion,but if kerry finish top they have to play the bottom team in munster for promotion/relegation.so basically,lets look after ourselves say the munster teams.
it is a laughable contradiction.

perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 10/04/2018 09:50:17    2092008

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Would a stronger county actually be better off in the Joe McDonagh Cup? Guaranteed 5 games which you should win, giving you a place in the round before the quarter finals where you play the 3rd best in Munster or Leinster. This year it is a very competitive competition but the idea that if Antrim, Carlow, Laois, Westmeath or Meath win it they will replace the bottom team in leinster is farcical. They should at least have to beat the bottom team in leinster in a play off.

890202 (Wexford) - Posts: 1278 - 10/04/2018 10:19:03    2092014

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Replying To 890202:  "Would a stronger county actually be better off in the Joe McDonagh Cup? Guaranteed 5 games which you should win, giving you a place in the round before the quarter finals where you play the 3rd best in Munster or Leinster. This year it is a very competitive competition but the idea that if Antrim, Carlow, Laois, Westmeath or Meath win it they will replace the bottom team in leinster is farcical. They should at least have to beat the bottom team in leinster in a play off."
No......nothing beats hurling the top counties. With all due respect to those counties, there is nothing like hurling Galway and Kilkenny and if you come 3rd in the league, you would probably still be better placed in an All-Ireland qualifier.
The winner should have to play the bottom team in both provinces. Imagine if Kerry beat the bottom team in Munster, there would be some shifting done to change the structure then!
Anyway, with respect to the teams involved, I dont think it should be turned into a championship structure debate.
I would expect Laois to win it. Carlow must fancy their chances as well.

Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 10/04/2018 11:08:03    2092028

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Replying To perfect10:  "has the makings of a great competition,but with my clairvoyant hat on,if dublin finish bottom of the leinster championship,the leinster championship will be restructured to suit them next year.but if offaly finish bottom,thats grand.
also gas that if a leinster team finish top they get automatic promotion,but if kerry finish top they have to play the bottom team in munster for promotion/relegation.so basically,lets look after ourselves say the munster teams.
it is a laughable contradiction."
Perfect 10 has got his clairvoyance spot on. Dublin make the drop, change in structure next year, Offaly go down no change. Personally I think Offaly V Dublin game will decide who stays up or goes down.

thelongridge (Offaly) - Posts: 1735 - 10/04/2018 12:20:44    2092059

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Replying To Pinkie:  "No......nothing beats hurling the top counties. With all due respect to those counties, there is nothing like hurling Galway and Kilkenny and if you come 3rd in the league, you would probably still be better placed in an All-Ireland qualifier.
The winner should have to play the bottom team in both provinces. Imagine if Kerry beat the bottom team in Munster, there would be some shifting done to change the structure then!
Anyway, with respect to the teams involved, I dont think it should be turned into a championship structure debate.
I would expect Laois to win it. Carlow must fancy their chances as well."
Antrim will also be expecting to do well. They had a reasonable league and will hopefully get decent support for their home games in this. Meath are probably a little below the level of the other 5 but all will fancy their chances. Should be a very interesting competition.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 10/04/2018 12:43:01    2092069

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Replying To thelongridge:  "Perfect 10 has got his clairvoyance spot on. Dublin make the drop, change in structure next year, Offaly go down no change. Personally I think Offaly V Dublin game will decide who stays up or goes down."
I would agree, but I also think anybody going to Tullamore would need to be very careful as Offaly will fancy a scalp there.

Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 10/04/2018 14:50:19    2092116

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Round 1 (5th May)
Meath v Antrim, Carlow v Kerry, Laois v Westmeath

Round 2 (12th May)
Westmeath v Meath, Antrim v Carlow, Kerry v Laois

Round 3 (20th May)
Carlow v Meath, Kerry v Westmeath, Antrim v Laois

Round 4 (3rd June)
Meath v Kerry, Laois v Carlow, Westmeath v Antrim

Round 5 (9th June)
Meath v Laois, Carlow v Westmeath, Antrim v Kerry

Saffronhurl (Antrim) - Posts: 30 - 10/04/2018 15:20:12    2092125

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It's two teams not one that will be relegated from this to the Ring Cup. There's only supposed to be five in this but Meath kicked as at the time they were reigning Ting Cup holders. So they made it six for this the first year. Two go down but only the Ring Cup winners come up. At the top, Two make it to the preliminary All Ireland quarter final but only the winners are promoted, unless they're Kerry of course.

Very little between any of the teams. It'll be fiercely competitive. The teams with the best 25 rather than 15 will probably prevail. Not inconceivable a team could go into last game needing a win to make the final and the All Ireland prelim. quarters but if they lose they get relegated.

Onion Breath (Carlow) - Posts: 1412 - 10/04/2018 16:19:57    2092160

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Absolutely killing club fixtures in Antrim,

The clubs up there will rebel.

bricktop (Down) - Posts: 2503 - 10/04/2018 16:27:14    2092162

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I actually think Kerry are probably the weakest of all these teams when it comes to championship. They seem to play great in the league but then fall off championship pace and end up losing games they should be winning. I'd like to see Kerry improve and enter Munster Championship but I don't see it happening within next 5 years. Think Laois should win it but Carlow could pull a surprise.

WildPundit (Tipperary) - Posts: 1709 - 10/04/2018 22:19:30    2092238

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Replying To Onion Breath:  "It's two teams not one that will be relegated from this to the Ring Cup. There's only supposed to be five in this but Meath kicked as at the time they were reigning Ting Cup holders. So they made it six for this the first year. Two go down but only the Ring Cup winners come up. At the top, Two make it to the preliminary All Ireland quarter final but only the winners are promoted, unless they're Kerry of course.

Very little between any of the teams. It'll be fiercely competitive. The teams with the best 25 rather than 15 will probably prevail. Not inconceivable a team could go into last game needing a win to make the final and the All Ireland prelim. quarters but if they lose they get relegated."
In fairness we only kicked up a fuss because we were told by the GAA "Ye finished bottom of the group, so have to be relegated. We'd love to keep you up but rules are rules." It was gutting to go down after one season but I didn't have any legit complaints.

Then they tossed the same rules into the shredder and declared Antrim would be promoted irrespective of losing the Christy Ring final and not earning promotion. It was a slap in the face to Meath really.

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1643 - 10/04/2018 22:48:15    2092245

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Replying To thelongridge:  "Perfect 10 has got his clairvoyance spot on. Dublin make the drop, change in structure next year, Offaly go down no change. Personally I think Offaly V Dublin game will decide who stays up or goes down."
I don't know. I think Michael Duignan with his media profile and clout would be protesting strongly if that happened and probably would be listened to.

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1902 - 11/04/2018 13:07:05    2092345

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Replying To CastleBravo:  "In fairness we only kicked up a fuss because we were told by the GAA "Ye finished bottom of the group, so have to be relegated. We'd love to keep you up but rules are rules." It was gutting to go down after one season but I didn't have any legit complaints.

Then they tossed the same rules into the shredder and declared Antrim would be promoted irrespective of losing the Christy Ring final and not earning promotion. It was a slap in the face to Meath really."
Meath were right to protest.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 12/04/2018 16:46:10    2092636

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A blow to Antrim's chances of going much further in the JMcD Cup after today's match!!
Three Carlow players were sent-off, while three Saffrons players were taken to hospital with injuries. Neal McManus, sustained a groin injury in which he required a number of stitches. He was taken by ambulance to theRV Hospital along with Michael Armstrong and Joe Maskey. Armstrong sustained a broken arm and Maskey a broken foot - both will miss the rest of the Joe McDonagh campaign. McManus is a doubt for Antrim's next game against Laois.

One Antrim Player was also sent off for a high tackle.

Brian_Coyote (Antrim) - Posts: 346 - 12/05/2018 20:44:28    2099881

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Replying To Brian_Coyote:  "A blow to Antrim's chances of going much further in the JMcD Cup after today's match!!
Three Carlow players were sent-off, while three Saffrons players were taken to hospital with injuries. Neal McManus, sustained a groin injury in which he required a number of stitches. He was taken by ambulance to theRV Hospital along with Michael Armstrong and Joe Maskey. Armstrong sustained a broken arm and Maskey a broken foot - both will miss the rest of the Joe McDonagh campaign. McManus is a doubt for Antrim's next game against Laois.

One Antrim Player was also sent off for a high tackle."
With the exception of games involving Meath, all games in this competition are going to be fierce tasty. There's nothing between five of them. I doubt anyone will go 100% through this. It's a very interesting competition but whatever two emerge from it to play the third placed teams in Leinster and Munster will probably be battered and broken by the time those games are played. The teams with the best 25 hurlers will probably come out on top as big squads of players up to the mark will be needed.

My prediction is Westmeath and Leix will be the top two, Carlow third, Antrim fourth, Kerry fifth and Meath will probably finish pointless.

Onion Breath (Carlow) - Posts: 1412 - 12/05/2018 21:10:05    2099885

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I think the Antrim casualty list from the Carlow game proves the point that Antrim hurlers STILL physically and mentally struggle at this level and intensity. If they are to improve as senior inter county hurlers they NEED to toughen up BOTH in the body and head and pretty quick in my opinion. They ALSO need to be streetwise and know when to ride and avoid hits which they don't at the minute. I wouldn't say Carlow are the pit bulls of hurling but they still left Antrim lying in the corner licking their wounds. I will say it until the cows come or reality bites, whatever comes first; Antrim senior hurlers and footballers are too soft physically and mentally for the rigours of the games at that level.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9697 - 13/05/2018 01:34:38    2099910

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Replying To Onion Breath:  "With the exception of games involving Meath, all games in this competition are going to be fierce tasty. There's nothing between five of them. I doubt anyone will go 100% through this. It's a very interesting competition but whatever two emerge from it to play the third placed teams in Leinster and Munster will probably be battered and broken by the time those games are played. The teams with the best 25 hurlers will probably come out on top as big squads of players up to the mark will be needed.

My prediction is Westmeath and Leix will be the top two, Carlow third, Antrim fourth, Kerry fifth and Meath will probably finish pointless."
I don't know how you can predict that after the hiding you gave us in the league final. I agree it's a great competition but I don't agree about Meath they will be a threat too and will give 110% against us today. Its far too early to say who will make final and with possibly two going down to Christy Ring there will be no late easy games.

jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1445 - 13/05/2018 09:11:56    2099918

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Replying To Ulsterman:  "I think the Antrim casualty list from the Carlow game proves the point that Antrim hurlers STILL physically and mentally struggle at this level and intensity. If they are to improve as senior inter county hurlers they NEED to toughen up BOTH in the body and head and pretty quick in my opinion. They ALSO need to be streetwise and know when to ride and avoid hits which they don't at the minute. I wouldn't say Carlow are the pit bulls of hurling but they still left Antrim lying in the corner licking their wounds. I will say it until the cows come or reality bites, whatever comes first; Antrim senior hurlers and footballers are too soft physically and mentally for the rigours of the games at that level."
Give over would you.

People get injured, it happens.

They won a tight game against a team that did them over in the Christy Ring final last year. Yet you still find an excuse to put in a few digs.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4210 - 13/05/2018 11:11:24    2099939

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Replying To Ulsterman:  "I think the Antrim casualty list from the Carlow game proves the point that Antrim hurlers STILL physically and mentally struggle at this level and intensity. If they are to improve as senior inter county hurlers they NEED to toughen up BOTH in the body and head and pretty quick in my opinion. They ALSO need to be streetwise and know when to ride and avoid hits which they don't at the minute. I wouldn't say Carlow are the pit bulls of hurling but they still left Antrim lying in the corner licking their wounds. I will say it until the cows come or reality bites, whatever comes first; Antrim senior hurlers and footballers are too soft physically and mentally for the rigours of the games at that level."
I am not even going to address the points you make other than to say that your post is pathetic.

Glensboy (Antrim) - Posts: 286 - 13/05/2018 11:55:20    2099953

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