National Forum

Paddys Day

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With the club finals being moved to January is there a plan for Paddys Day.

Dont think there is much appetite for Railway cup so will it be a bumper leagie day or maybe just let players enjoy the holiday?

Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1236 - 03/07/2019 15:04:23    2204954

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Replying To Breezy:  "With the club finals being moved to January is there a plan for Paddys Day.

Dont think there is much appetite for Railway cup so will it be a bumper leagie day or maybe just let players enjoy the holiday?"
Since when did the fixtures committee have any regard for the club player?
Sure they didn't want turkey and ham and a few drinks (sensibly of course) over the Christmas.
I suspect, like yourself, it will be some sort of super dooper league day.

Ej (Wexford) - Posts: 355 - 03/07/2019 16:28:34    2205000

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My first thought was they might try and condense the league fixtures and have the finals on Paddy's day and make it a thing.

But haven't looked into the practicalities in any great detail.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 03/07/2019 17:01:36    2205017

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Replying To TheUsername:  "My first thought was they might try and condense the league fixtures and have the finals on Paddy's day and make it a thing.

But haven't looked into the practicalities in any great detail."
Definitely doable (is that even a word?)
Top 2 teams in the league play a final. How many weeks does that save?

Ej (Wexford) - Posts: 355 - 03/07/2019 17:38:28    2205034

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Dublin will get to play a league double header there no doubt instead

Thelonesomegoose (Leitrim) - Posts: 204 - 03/07/2019 18:11:22    2205054

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Moving the club finals from St. Patricks Day is sacrilege.
Most young players I know dream of lifting Andy Merrigan on St. Patricks day representing their club.
It was a huge success. Why change it? St. Patricks day became a great day for the clubs football and hurling.
Then the GAA decide to relegate it to January. Can't believe it to be honest.

Dessie_Cross (Armagh) - Posts: 142 - 03/07/2019 18:26:04    2205061

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Replying To Dessie_Cross:  "Moving the club finals from St. Patricks Day is sacrilege.
Most young players I know dream of lifting Andy Merrigan on St. Patricks day representing their club.
It was a huge success. Why change it? St. Patricks day became a great day for the clubs football and hurling.
Then the GAA decide to relegate it to January. Can't believe it to be honest."
Because its several months into the new year to play 3 games in each code and playing then in same calendar year gives more people a proper break between seasons and allows better structure to the season.
Moving the finals means the new fates will still be a great day for clubs

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3510 - 03/07/2019 18:51:30    2205070

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Replying To KillingFields:  "Because its several months into the new year to play 3 games in each code and playing then in same calendar year gives more people a proper break between seasons and allows better structure to the season.
Moving the finals means the new fates will still be a great day for clubs"
Moving the game to January isn't moving it to the same calendar year.
If it gets moved to the same calendar year, does that mean December?
The gaa really are doing their best to upset the senior club player.
"Ok guys, April is your month because it's free from inter county matches except that most counties won't have fixtures for the month because of warm weather team bonding trips and county managers won't let the lads play for their club.
But when the championship ends in August you really will be able to play again every weekend and sometimes in midweek so that we can get all the fixtures played. Sure lads, you're hardy bucks and you love playing in the wet and the cold and the mud."

Ej (Wexford) - Posts: 355 - 03/07/2019 19:31:42    2205086

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Replying To Ej:  "Moving the game to January isn't moving it to the same calendar year.
If it gets moved to the same calendar year, does that mean December?
The gaa really are doing their best to upset the senior club player.
"Ok guys, April is your month because it's free from inter county matches except that most counties won't have fixtures for the month because of warm weather team bonding trips and county managers won't let the lads play for their club.
But when the championship ends in August you really will be able to play again every weekend and sometimes in midweek so that we can get all the fixtures played. Sure lads, you're hardy bucks and you love playing in the wet and the cold and the mud.""
It should be same year but at least move to January cuts the ridiculous long breaks from provincial championships to 3 games in all Ireland series.
And GAA has always done a lot to piss off non county players like not starting main competition until county knocked out etc etc

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3510 - 03/07/2019 20:37:29    2205118

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If the Tier 2 Football Championship is voted in, counties will want all their players available to finish as high as possible in the league to earn the qualifier spots pre-provincial championships.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7859 - 03/07/2019 20:49:59    2205126

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Was it the club players idea to scrap the St. Patrick's Day club finals and have a season within a calendar year?

Are club players not banned from playing with clubs abroad during the intercounty championship?

Is this not going to eventually lead to counties naming their squads for league and championship, leaving remainder of players free for clubs, with club games not being beholden to when county players are available. Independent club and intercounty calendars.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7349 - 03/07/2019 20:51:25    2205127

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Replying To TheUsername:  "My first thought was they might try and condense the league fixtures and have the finals on Paddy's day and make it a thing.

But haven't looked into the practicalities in any great detail."
Thank god you're not in charge of anything important.

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 03/07/2019 20:52:00    2205128

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Replying To Ej:  "Moving the game to January isn't moving it to the same calendar year.
If it gets moved to the same calendar year, does that mean December?
The gaa really are doing their best to upset the senior club player.
"Ok guys, April is your month because it's free from inter county matches except that most counties won't have fixtures for the month because of warm weather team bonding trips and county managers won't let the lads play for their club.
But when the championship ends in August you really will be able to play again every weekend and sometimes in midweek so that we can get all the fixtures played. Sure lads, you're hardy bucks and you love playing in the wet and the cold and the mud.""
It will be slowly move dback to December is what I hear.

As for players I agree December is a tough month to play but a long run into March causes problems too as top club players can miss out on national league and lose places in the county team at an important time of year for building a team for AI.

For a few years recently Limerick were without some of their top players because NaP were going so well. Luckily we have strength in depth but not every county has

Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1236 - 03/07/2019 20:52:49    2205130

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Replying To KillingFields:  "It should be same year but at least move to January cuts the ridiculous long breaks from provincial championships to 3 games in all Ireland series.
And GAA has always done a lot to piss off non county players like not starting main competition until county knocked out etc etc"
Club finals will eventually be moved to December according to John Horan. Next year's finals in January (if they survive the weather!) will be a once off I'd expect. I think it is good that they will be moved towards the end of the calendar year, though December is hardly ideal either. The current schedule with club finals in March is too demanding on successful club players who also play with their county. I have no doubt it contributed to our poor showing in senior hurling this year. The St Thomas's players and Daithi Burke were on the go non stop for a full 18 months and their performance levels were nowhere near what they are capable of. I think it is significant that Galway won the McCarthy Cup in 2017 in a year when their county champions (Liam Mellows) didnt have one player on the county team. It is not possible to burn the candle at both ends and hope to be successful.

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1903 - 03/07/2019 21:18:56    2205151

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Replying To PoolSturgeon:  "Club finals will eventually be moved to December according to John Horan. Next year's finals in January (if they survive the weather!) will be a once off I'd expect. I think it is good that they will be moved towards the end of the calendar year, though December is hardly ideal either. The current schedule with club finals in March is too demanding on successful club players who also play with their county. I have no doubt it contributed to our poor showing in senior hurling this year. The St Thomas's players and Daithi Burke were on the go non stop for a full 18 months and their performance levels were nowhere near what they are capable of. I think it is significant that Galway won the McCarthy Cup in 2017 in a year when their county champions (Liam Mellows) didnt have one player on the county team. It is not possible to burn the candle at both ends and hope to be successful."
In all seriousness I do sympathise and understand with both sides of the debate.
The clubs and the county teams need each other and I personally feel the scales are tipped to heavily in favour of the county teams.
In hurling:
Do we really need to have quarter finals or even semi finals for the league?
Do we really need to have quarter finals for Liam when the provincial championships are so thorough?
Look how many weeks that would free up in the calendar.
Of course a significant proportion of the revenues generated from gate receipts and tv coverage for these extra games goes back to the clubs and this cannot be dismissed.
I truly hope that those that are involved sit around the table and agree on a sensible compromise. If they don't I fear that we will end up with an amateur club game and professional intercounty game in the not too distant future.

Ej (Wexford) - Posts: 355 - 03/07/2019 21:55:07    2205168

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There is a solution for everyone in this.

Move the inter county provincial football championships to a Feb start. Hold all provincial finals on St Patricks day

Change the inter county football league to a similar structure as the hurling league. Run April to end June.

Have inter county all Ireland football as seeded knock out from July to end August.

Have 1 weekend every month (March, April, May, June for club championships

seed provincial club championships based on intercounty performance in September and October

All Ireland club finals end of November

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1109 - 03/07/2019 23:01:12    2205218

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Replying To Ej:  "In all seriousness I do sympathise and understand with both sides of the debate.
The clubs and the county teams need each other and I personally feel the scales are tipped to heavily in favour of the county teams.
In hurling:
Do we really need to have quarter finals or even semi finals for the league?
Do we really need to have quarter finals for Liam when the provincial championships are so thorough?
Look how many weeks that would free up in the calendar.
Of course a significant proportion of the revenues generated from gate receipts and tv coverage for these extra games goes back to the clubs and this cannot be dismissed.
I truly hope that those that are involved sit around the table and agree on a sensible compromise. If they don't I fear that we will end up with an amateur club game and professional intercounty game in the not too distant future."
Completely agree about the league.
I like it when leagues are leagues and the top team wins even if it means a few dead rubbers. sure isnt the hurling league just for blooding new players anyway apparently

Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1236 - 03/07/2019 23:31:40    2205234

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Agree 100% on league structure. Hurling and football should be the same and no reason both codes couldn't be played on the same weekends.

Although the provincial structure in hurling was changed in response to the super 8's, I feel a similar format for football would be better too. With the top 2 in each province going through to a quarter final with provincial winners getting a home tie. Again both codes could be played on the same weekends.

There would always be two competitive games in both codes each weekend to satisfy the tv companies and thus keeping supporters of both codes less disgruntled.

Not being much of a fan of the big ball game, I'm sure there are many good reasons why this can't work but I will have no problem with being informed why I'm an awful stupid eejit.

Ej (Wexford) - Posts: 355 - 03/07/2019 23:55:41    2205244

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Replying To Dessie_Cross:  "Moving the club finals from St. Patricks Day is sacrilege.
Most young players I know dream of lifting Andy Merrigan on St. Patricks day representing their club.
It was a huge success. Why change it? St. Patricks day became a great day for the clubs football and hurling.
Then the GAA decide to relegate it to January. Can't believe it to be honest."
It will be moved to December eventually. 2 week's before Christmas would be ideal. Get the festive buzz going for the club finals and give the teams an actual break then before the following season begins.

I like the idea of a league hurling and football match on paddy's day.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 04/07/2019 00:55:48    2205254

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I do love this "oh no thought about the poor average Joe club player" spiel. When this will affect about 0.005% of club players, a lot of whom (Corofin, Dr. Crokes, Ballyhale Shamrocks, Na Piarsaigh, St. Vincents, Crossmaglen etc. ) are there every second or third year. There's an elite bunch of clubs in a position most players in Ireland would give their right arm for, so they shouldn't be playing the "woe is me, I've the misfortune to play in December for a cup most players will never get within a mile of"

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1646 - 04/07/2019 10:25:16    2205326

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