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Replying To legendzxix: "How to combine a Championship and League performance for the overall ranking:
1 - Dublin - All-Ireland - Winner - League 7
2 - Kerry - All-Ireland - Runners-up - League 5
3 - Monaghan - All-Ireland - Semi-final - League 6
4 - Derry - All-Ireland - Semi-final - League 8
5 - Mayo - All-Ireland - Quarter-final - League 1
6 - Tyrone - All-Ireland - Quarter-final - League 4
7 - Armagh - All-Ireland - Quarter-final - League 9
8 - Cork - All-Ireland - Quarter-final - League 12
9 - Galway - All-Ireland - Pre-Quarter-final - League 2
10 - Roscommon - All-Ireland - Pre-Quarter-final - League 3
11 - Donegal - All-Ireland - Pre-Quarter-final - League 10
12 - Kildare - All-Ireland - Pre-Quarter-final - League 13
13 - Louth - All-Ireland - Group 4th - League 11
14 - Clare - All-Ireland - Group 4th - League 17
15 - Westmeath - All-Ireland - Group 4th - League 20
16 - Sligo - All-Ireland - Group 4th - League 23
17 - Meath - Tailteann - Winner - League 14
18 - Down - Tailteann - Runners-up - League 19
19 - Antrim - Tailteann - Semi-final - League 22
20 - Laois - Tailteann - Semi-final - League 27
21 - Cavan - Tailteann - Quarter-final - League 15
22 - Limerick - Tailteann - Quarter-final - League 18
23 - Wexford - Tailteann - Quarter-final - League 29
24 - Carlow - Tailteann - Quarter-final - League 30
25 - Fermanagh - Tailteann - Pre-Quarter-final - League 16
26 - Offaly - Tailteann - Pre-Quarter-final - League 21
27 - Longford - Tailteann - Pre-Quarter-final - League 25
28 - Tipperary - Tailteann - Group 3rd - League 26
29 - Wicklow - Tailteann - Group 4th - League 24
30 - Leitrim - Tailteann - Group 4th - League 28
31 - Waterford - Tailteann - Group 4th - League 31
32 - London - Tailteann - Group 4th - League 32
The provincial draws take place in October. It doesn't seem as if that is going to change. A championship and league ranking table is a reflection of the year. Teams can move up and down every year depending on performance in both. It provides a fair enough seeding for each province to have a balanced draw." Same question - how does the performance in both Championship and League combine for the overall ranking - there are no offsetting points for each.
For example, Mayo's "League 1" score has no impact on raising them above 5th based on their "AIC QF" status - likewise, "League 7" does not knock Dublin off the top perch - what would it take - 10th, 15th, 20th - or as AIC Champions, they are number 1 no matter what?
omahant (USA) - Posts: 2849 - 17/01/2024 02:37:30
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Replying To omahant: "Same question - how does the performance in both Championship and League combine for the overall ranking - there are no offsetting points for each.
For example, Mayo's "League 1" score has no impact on raising them above 5th based on their "AIC QF" status - likewise, "League 7" does not knock Dublin off the top perch - what would it take - 10th, 15th, 20th - or as AIC Champions, they are number 1 no matter what?" Championship seeding should be based on championship stage reached and then league placing. Mayo missed out on the All-Ireland semi-finals so could only achieve a ranking of 5 in the example provided.
The GAA should consider reward of an extra home game provincial winners. Provincial runners-up could also be rewarded within an extra home game, except where drawn in the same group as the Tailteann winner, with the Tailteann winner also rewarded an extra home game.
legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8242 - 18/01/2024 10:36:55
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Replying To legendzxix: "All counties produce 1 county champion, regardless of county championship structure. All provincial championships produce 1 provincial winner, regardless of seeding and the number of counties. There is a fair argument for provincial winners only qualifying through the provinces.
Exiting the provincial championships and going straight into the All-Ireland group stage takes away jeopardy. Ideally counties falling at the provincial hurdle would at least contest a qualifying round. Win: go to All-Ireland group stage. Lose: go to Tailteann.
Possibly the Division 1 winner should be guaranteed an All-Ireland spot also. The Division 4 winners upwards at least a qualifying round spot.
EXAMPLE USING LAST YEAR'S LEAGUE AND CHAMPIONSHIP:
Last year's provincial winners: Derry, Dublin, Kerry and Galway.
Division 1 winner: Mayo
2022 Tailteann winner: Westmeath.
Division 4 winner: Sligo
All-Ireland automatic qualifiers: Derry, Dublin, Kerry, Galway, Mayo and Westmeath. (6 counties)
All-Ireland qualifying round or bye: Roscommon, Tyrone, Monaghan, Armagh, Donegal, Louth, Cork, Kildare, Meath, Cavan, Fermanagh, Clare, Limerick, Down, Offaly, Antrim and Sligo. 17 counties for 10 places on this occasion, meaning the highest 3 ranked counties can get bye to the group stage. The qualifying round could see the higher 7 drawn at home against the lower 7.
For this to work, the qualifying round would have to be two weeks after the provincial finals, giving provincial runners-up two weeks to recover.
Weekend -8: NFL Round 1
Weekend -7: NFL Round 2
Weekend -6: NFL Round 3
Weekend -5: NFL Round 4
WEEKEND OFF.
Weekend -4: NFL Round 5
Weekend -3: NFL Round 6
Weekend -2: NFL Round 7
Weekend -1: Allianz Football League finals.
WEEKEND OFF.
Weekend 1: Connacht and Munster quarter-finals. Leinster and Ulster preliminary round.
Weekend 2: Connacht and Munster semi-finals. Leinster and Ulster quarter-finals.
Weekend 3: Leinster and Ulster semi-finals.
Weekend 4: Connacht and Munster finals.
Weekend 5: Leinster and Ulster finals.
WEEKEND OFF.
Weekend 6: All-Ireland qualifying round.
Weekend 7: All-Ireland and Tailteann group stage Round 1.
Weekend 8: All-Ireland and Tailteann group stage Round 2.
WEEKEND OFF.
Weekend 9: All-Ireland and Tailteann group stage Round 3.
Weekend 10: All-Ireland and Tailteann Preliminary Quarter-finals.
Weekend 11: All-Ireland and Tailteann Quarter-finals.
WEEKEND OFF.
Weekend 12: All-Ireland and Tailteann Semi-finals.
WEEKEND OFF.
Weekend 13: Saturday: All-Ireland Junior Football Championship Final and Tailteann Cup Final.
Sunday: All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final." I really think a qualifying round is an excellent idea. May I just make a few tweaks to above
Direct qualifiers to All Ireland group stage.
For 2023 these would have been
Previous years All Ireland winner Kerry
Previous years Tailteann cup winner Westmeath
Division 1 winner Mayo
Ulster Championship winner Derry
Leinster Championship winner Dublin
Connacht Championship winner Galway
Munster Championship winner Kerry
As Kerry have qualified on two fronts that leaves 10 places for All Ireland group stage.
20 teams to play qualifying round to fill these 10 places.
Teams seeded 1 to 20 based on final league positions.
Promoted teams seeded higher than relegated teams.
No draw need to be made. Seed 1 plays against seed 20 and so on down.
Based on 2023 these are the pairings.
Roscommon v Tipperary
Tyrone v Longford
Monaghan v Wicklow
Armagh v Sligo
Donegal v Antrim
Louth v Offaly
Cork v Down
Kildare v Limerick
Meath v Clare
Cavan v Fermanagh
Losers go to Tailteann Cup.
This scenario means all teams can qualify for All Ireland group stage through the League as there are 2 Division 4 teams in the draw.Also being in Division 1 does not mean automatic qualification for group stage as is the case currently.It should give greater importance to the Provincals and to winning Division1.
These would be 10 high stake winner takes all games.
edu (Mayo) - Posts: 60 - 18/01/2024 21:55:43
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Replying To edu: "I really think a qualifying round is an excellent idea. May I just make a few tweaks to above
Direct qualifiers to All Ireland group stage.
For 2023 these would have been
Previous years All Ireland winner Kerry
Previous years Tailteann cup winner Westmeath
Division 1 winner Mayo
Ulster Championship winner Derry
Leinster Championship winner Dublin
Connacht Championship winner Galway
Munster Championship winner Kerry
As Kerry have qualified on two fronts that leaves 10 places for All Ireland group stage.
20 teams to play qualifying round to fill these 10 places.
Teams seeded 1 to 20 based on final league positions.
Promoted teams seeded higher than relegated teams.
No draw need to be made. Seed 1 plays against seed 20 and so on down.
Based on 2023 these are the pairings.
Roscommon v Tipperary
Tyrone v Longford
Monaghan v Wicklow
Armagh v Sligo
Donegal v Antrim
Louth v Offaly
Cork v Down
Kildare v Limerick
Meath v Clare
Cavan v Fermanagh
Losers go to Tailteann Cup.
This scenario means all teams can qualify for All Ireland group stage through the League as there are 2 Division 4 teams in the draw.Also being in Division 1 does not mean automatic qualification for group stage as is the case currently.It should give greater importance to the Provincals and to winning Division1.
These would be 10 high stake winner takes all games." I like the idea of All Ireland qualifiers.
I could see a good season where we started with Provincials in March.
The All Ireland Series would be 2 groups of 8.
There'd be 12 automatic qualifiers each year.
4 Provincial champions
7 next best from Previous All Ireland championship
Tailteann cup winner.
There'd be 4 places remaining for the 20 teams not already qualified with 8 teams based on the previous tier 2 playing in round 1 on the same weekend as the Provincial finals.
Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4329 - 19/01/2024 10:26:25
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Replying To omahant: "To enhance "2nd tier meaningful" as well as "fair flow of teams between tiers" - perhaps teams could play an 8v8 schedule in each tier. Then, when one group outperforms the other, they could claim more of the KO berths (say, top 10 of 16 to the Tier 1 KO, with 7v10 & 8v9 in Prelim QFs).
If the Tier 1 bottom 6 merged with the Tier 2 top 10, you could have a mouthwatering Tier 2 KO (11v26, 17v20 etc in the Rd of 16). With 6 of the QF 8 (incl 2 Promotion/Stay Up Finals between 4 QF losers) going up or staying up, there would be plenty of ebb & flo between tiers." I don't know if I'd have your precise solution.
I think the season is currently weird. There's a lot of low intensity games and I'd think that we should want fewer games but better intensity in the ones than what we do have.
We have to really try to fit in all of the games and maybe it'd be better to have a core April to July main competition with a bit of breathing room for teams to go all out when they are playing.
It's why I really like a 2 tiers of 2 groups of 8 and I'd only have 3 from each group progressing.
You have 7 games that are at an increasing level of intensity with a high enough bar for qualification.
The only issue is that it's a bit of a short season.
I guess having Provincials in February and March with a weak link to the All Ireland could improve this but it comes at the cost of complicating what could be a very clean, understandable, relatable All Ireland.
The National League should go. It's paradoxically the best structured current competition but also the biggest impediment to change. Having an 8 round secondary competition and having to run provincials limits how good the main competition can be.
Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4329 - 19/01/2024 11:56:22
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Having suggested qualifiers, I readily admit that the flip side to bringing in qualifiers is that a Division 1 county could end up in the Tailteann Cup. If provincial winners only, Tailteann winner and the league top 7 qualified automatically, 4 spots could be left vacant for 4 qualifiers. 8 counties could contest a qualifying round. A left field suggestion is to guarantee the Division 3 and 4 winners at least a qualifying round spot. Example of 8 teams entering a qualifying round from last year would be:
Automatic qualifiers:
Mayo - League 1
Galway - Connacht winners
Roscommon - League 2
Tyrone - League 3
Kerry - Munster winners
Monaghan - League 4
Dublin - Leinster winners
Derry - Ulster winners
Armagh - League 5
Donegal - League 6
Louth - League 7
Westmeath - Tailteann winners
Qualifying Round:
1. Cork
2. Kildare
3. Meath
4. Cavan
5. Fermanagh
6. Clare
7. Limerick
8. Sligo
Top 4 drawn against the bottom 4. Division 3 and 4 winners guaranteed home advantage. Top 4 seeds otherwise given home advantage. In this example, Cavan and Sligo would be guaranteed home advantage and could not draw each other. Any of Cork, Kildare or Meath drawing Sligo would have to play away in Sligo.
legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8242 - 19/01/2024 17:29:52
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How about this (peddled before) -
Current AIC Group Stage, incorporating Prov Champp results.
After all Prov QFs are completed (say, in Feb), create the AIC groups.
Draw each Ulster SF team, one per group, and draw their QF and any 1st Rd losing opponents to groups different from the team that beat them (tier 1 groups/ league top two divisions/ top 16).
Do the same for Connacht, Munster & Leinster.
Teams play a 12-match season, against all teams in their own tier, except their own group (similar to rugby's 18-match URC schedule, without own group played twice).
This structure incorporates all crossover provincial pairings (intra tier only), including SFs and Finals, yet to be played.
After 12 games, the top 8 of 16 in a combined tier 1 table advance to either: Sam KO QFs (or as I'd prefer, an Aussie AFL playoff series, giving the top 4 a 2nd chance).
Tier 2 operates similarly.
If there is an unlikely Tier 2 Prov Champ, they parachute into the Tier 1/Sam KO after the Tier 2 group stage concludes.
Tier 1 bottom 2 (or 4) relegated, Tier 2 Finalists (or SFlists) promoted.
Prov draws should avoid tier 1v2 pairings, where possible, as these results can't double up into group tables.
omahant (USA) - Posts: 2849 - 19/01/2024 23:36:17
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Replying To Whammo86: "I don't know if I'd have your precise solution.
I think the season is currently weird. There's a lot of low intensity games and I'd think that we should want fewer games but better intensity in the ones than what we do have.
We have to really try to fit in all of the games and maybe it'd be better to have a core April to July main competition with a bit of breathing room for teams to go all out when they are playing.
It's why I really like a 2 tiers of 2 groups of 8 and I'd only have 3 from each group progressing.
You have 7 games that are at an increasing level of intensity with a high enough bar for qualification.
The only issue is that it's a bit of a short season.
I guess having Provincials in February and March with a weak link to the All Ireland could improve this but it comes at the cost of complicating what could be a very clean, understandable, relatable All Ireland.
The National League should go. It's paradoxically the best structured current competition but also the biggest impediment to change. Having an 8 round secondary competition and having to run provincials limits how good the main competition can be." Is there no end to the nonsense you guys put up here,one pretending to be smarter than the other. We have a perfect set up at the moment maybe with a few minor tweaks.
ORIELMAN85 (Monaghan) - Posts: 386 - 20/01/2024 12:36:33
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Replying To ORIELMAN85: "Is there no end to the nonsense you guys put up here,one pretending to be smarter than the other. We have a perfect set up at the moment maybe with a few minor tweaks." It's far from a perfect set up.
Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4329 - 20/01/2024 13:15:34
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Replying To ORIELMAN85: "Is there no end to the nonsense you guys put up here,one pretending to be smarter than the other. We have a perfect set up at the moment maybe with a few minor tweaks." Your ideas are good and would improve things but it'd be great to see more games between top teams in the main competition at the best time to play those games.
It'd be good for developing teams to get more than 3 or 4 games.
Things have improved a lot from a few years ago but it's a weird enough season with a strange flow to it.
Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4329 - 20/01/2024 13:17:39
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Munster SFC 2024
Quarter-final: Tipperary v Waterford, winners to play Clare; Limerick v Cork, winners to play Kerry.
Clare can miss out on the Division 3 final and deny the Division 3 winner an All-Ireland spot by beating Tipperary or Waterford.
Ulster SFC 2024
Preliminary round: Monaghan v Cavan. Quarter-finals: Down v Antrim, Fermanagh v Armagh, Derry v Donegal, Monaghan/Cavan v Tyrone; Semi-finals: Monaghan/Cavan/Tyrone v Derry/Donegal, Down/Antrim v Fermanagh/Armagh.
Derry, Monaghan and Tyrone are all on one side of the Ulster championship draw. A balanced draw would see Derry and Monaghan avoid each other until a final if they got that far. Tyrone and Armagh should have been seeded quarter-finalists alongside Derry and Monaghan.
Leinster SFC 2024
First round: Westmeath v Wicklow, Carlow v Wexford, Longford v Meath; Quarter-finals: Kildare v Westmeath/Wicklow, Louth v Carlow/Wexford, Dublin v Longford/Meath, Offaly v Laois; Semi-finals: Louth/Carlow/Wexford v Kildare/Westmeath/Wicklow, Dublin/ Longford/Meath v Offaly/Laois.
Dublin and Kildare were the best championship performers from Leinster last year. Dublin, Kildare, Louth and Westmeath should have been seeded quarter-finalists.
Connacht SFC 2024
Quarter-finals: New York v Mayo, London v Galway, Sligo v Leitrim; Semi-finals: New York/Mayo v Roscommon, Sligo/Leitrim v London/Galway.
The Connacht draw worked out balanced enough this year and has gone along expected lines if a balanced seeded draw had been applied.
In 2023, Cavan and Meath would have had good reason to submit a motion to congress for a more balanced provincial draw. Until the 6th team in Division 2 or the Division 3 winners make their argument and put a motion to congress, there will be lopsided provincial draws with Division 3 winners missing out as a result.
legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8242 - 20/01/2024 14:21:32
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Replying To legendzxix: "Munster SFC 2024
Quarter-final: Tipperary v Waterford, winners to play Clare; Limerick v Cork, winners to play Kerry.
Clare can miss out on the Division 3 final and deny the Division 3 winner an All-Ireland spot by beating Tipperary or Waterford.
Ulster SFC 2024
Preliminary round: Monaghan v Cavan. Quarter-finals: Down v Antrim, Fermanagh v Armagh, Derry v Donegal, Monaghan/Cavan v Tyrone; Semi-finals: Monaghan/Cavan/Tyrone v Derry/Donegal, Down/Antrim v Fermanagh/Armagh.
Derry, Monaghan and Tyrone are all on one side of the Ulster championship draw. A balanced draw would see Derry and Monaghan avoid each other until a final if they got that far. Tyrone and Armagh should have been seeded quarter-finalists alongside Derry and Monaghan.
Leinster SFC 2024
First round: Westmeath v Wicklow, Carlow v Wexford, Longford v Meath; Quarter-finals: Kildare v Westmeath/Wicklow, Louth v Carlow/Wexford, Dublin v Longford/Meath, Offaly v Laois; Semi-finals: Louth/Carlow/Wexford v Kildare/Westmeath/Wicklow, Dublin/ Longford/Meath v Offaly/Laois.
Dublin and Kildare were the best championship performers from Leinster last year. Dublin, Kildare, Louth and Westmeath should have been seeded quarter-finalists.
Connacht SFC 2024
Quarter-finals: New York v Mayo, London v Galway, Sligo v Leitrim; Semi-finals: New York/Mayo v Roscommon, Sligo/Leitrim v London/Galway.
The Connacht draw worked out balanced enough this year and has gone along expected lines if a balanced seeded draw had been applied.
In 2023, Cavan and Meath would have had good reason to submit a motion to congress for a more balanced provincial draw. Until the 6th team in Division 2 or the Division 3 winners make their argument and put a motion to congress, there will be lopsided provincial draws with Division 3 winners missing out as a result." Only let Provincial Champions (plus previous years Sam and TC winners) automatically into Sam.
Seanfanbocht (Roscommon) - Posts: 1907 - 20/01/2024 15:53:21
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Replying To Seanfanbocht: "Only let Provincial Champions (plus previous years Sam and TC winners) automatically into Sam." The Tailteann Cup teams are offered the carrot of an All-Ireland spot after missing out in the All-Ireland in the current year. The Tailteann Cup needs that carrot. Does the All-Ireland need that carrot?
legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8242 - 20/01/2024 17:26:17
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Replying To legendzxix: "The Tailteann Cup teams are offered the carrot of an All-Ireland spot after missing out in the All-Ireland in the current year. The Tailteann Cup needs that carrot. Does the All-Ireland need that carrot?" Yeah you want the Sam Maguire champion to be in the All Ireland proper.
Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4329 - 20/01/2024 18:41:42
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Replying To Seanfanbocht: "Only let Provincial Champions (plus previous years Sam and TC winners) automatically into Sam." An example of 2023 All-Ireland groups if provincial winners only had qualified along with the Tailteann winner and 11 league qualifiers:
1. *Kerry, *Mayo, Cork, Meath
2. *Galway, Tyrone, Louth, *Westmeath
3. *Dublin, *Roscommon, Armagh, Kildare
4. *Derry, Monaghan, Donegal, *Cavan
* Provincial winners, Tailteann winner and Allianz League division winners rewarded with an extra home game. Roscommon rewarded with extra home game also as Dublin won Division 2 and Leinster, and Roscommon were the highest available team on league ranking for an extra home game.
legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8242 - 20/01/2024 21:20:41
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Replying To Whammo86: "Your ideas are good and would improve things but it'd be great to see more games between top teams in the main competition at the best time to play those games.
It'd be good for developing teams to get more than 3 or 4 games.
Things have improved a lot from a few years ago but it's a weird enough season with a strange flow to it." It's good for the top teams. Testing themselves in a higher standard of football. And if they don't finish high enough in Division 2 they can have a second chance by reaching a provincial final to get to All Ireland Series. A Division One team can lose every league and provincial game, even a group game in All Ireland series and still reach the knockout stages of the All Ireland. It's an absolute joke. There's too many games and then a load of rubbish talked about fitting games into a calendar. Have 4 groups for 4 semi final spots.
It's not good for the so called weaker counties. Poor standard league matches. Poor standard Tailteann Cup games with the 'carrot' of getting to an All Ireland Championship and then go back to their poor standard of Division 3 and 4 football.
Increasing the gap in standards between the weaker and stronger counties to greater revenue from more TV games. Inevitably potential footballers from so called weaker counties will just play club football or try other sports.
Some of them play college football with players from stronger counties and hear about the opportunities they don't have. Need to find some competition and means to mentor and test the so called weaker counties against a higher standard. Because it'll kill intercounty football in some counties while the rich get richer. A Super League and the rest.
GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7620 - 21/01/2024 10:53:25
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Replying To ORIELMAN85: "Is there no end to the nonsense you guys put up here,one pretending to be smarter than the other. We have a perfect set up at the moment maybe with a few minor tweaks." Thinkers can't wait for solutions coming from the other side. I'm not trying to out smart anyone - and enjoy reading alternatives to my own, because I can compare.
omahant (USA) - Posts: 2849 - 21/01/2024 16:34:09
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Need to find some competition and means to mentor and test the so called weaker counties against a higher standard. Because it'll kill intercounty football in some counties while the rich get richer. A Super League and the rest.
GreenandRed (Mayo)
The provincial championships are the opportunity for lower league counties to test themselves against higher league counties. Win and they can savour a great win for many years. Lose, they simply move onto the Tailteann Cup with lessons learned. Westmeath won the 2022 Tailteann Cup and were very competitive in the 2023 All-Ireland group stage. They were very close to knockout out Tyrone.
The current structure is a good template and framework. There are just a few tweaks required like provincial winners only qualifying and the incentive of an extra home game for provincial winners, Tailteann winner and Allianz League division winners.
legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8242 - 21/01/2024 16:42:50
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Replying To GreenandRed: "It's good for the top teams. Testing themselves in a higher standard of football. And if they don't finish high enough in Division 2 they can have a second chance by reaching a provincial final to get to All Ireland Series. A Division One team can lose every league and provincial game, even a group game in All Ireland series and still reach the knockout stages of the All Ireland. It's an absolute joke. There's too many games and then a load of rubbish talked about fitting games into a calendar. Have 4 groups for 4 semi final spots.
It's not good for the so called weaker counties. Poor standard league matches. Poor standard Tailteann Cup games with the 'carrot' of getting to an All Ireland Championship and then go back to their poor standard of Division 3 and 4 football.
Increasing the gap in standards between the weaker and stronger counties to greater revenue from more TV games. Inevitably potential footballers from so called weaker counties will just play club football or try other sports.
Some of them play college football with players from stronger counties and hear about the opportunities they don't have. Need to find some competition and means to mentor and test the so called weaker counties against a higher standard. Because it'll kill intercounty football in some counties while the rich get richer. A Super League and the rest." That's the crux of the matter and a tough nut to crack. The Rugby Union World Cup provides the opportunity and there are more ugly blowouts than a "Uruguay" putting it up to stronger opposition. The closed shop alternative isn't a solution either - so what to do in the GAA?
omahant (USA) - Posts: 2849 - 21/01/2024 17:12:15
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Replying To Whammo86: "Your ideas are good and would improve things but it'd be great to see more games between top teams in the main competition at the best time to play those games.
It'd be good for developing teams to get more than 3 or 4 games.
Things have improved a lot from a few years ago but it's a weird enough season with a strange flow to it." To counter "weird enough season....strange flow....":
Rugby's six-tie Triple Crown is played as a subset to the 15-tie Six Nations Championship, with the results in the former "doubling up", counting towards both competitions (and the sole Calcutta Cup tie "triples up").
Perhaps the level of importance placed on these "subset" competitions is in the eye of the beholder, but all should agree that all games count equally towards the bigger prize.
I think the GAA could play the Provincial and League competitions, with those ties similarly "doubling up" into the AIC group phase regular season. Ulster could continue to remain popular, with the other provinces less so - it wouldn't really matter, if the greater competition is balanced and fair.
After the Provincial QFs are concluded in Feb, draw the Tier 1 (league top 16) & Tier 2 "four groups of four", placing the 4 SF teams from each province in different groups (some may be in Tier 2). Then, to complete the groups, place the Provincial QF & 1st Round losing teams in their own tier and in groups different to the teams they have played.
All teams play a 12-match season, playing all teams in the other three groups of their own tier, incorporating all "own tier" provincial results for games already played (QFs & 1st Rd) as well as those yet to be played (SFs & Finals).
Top 8 of 16 in each combined table to respective Tier 1 & Tier 2 Playoffs. Tier 2 Finalists (or SFlists) promoted, Tier 1 bottom 2 (or 4) relegated.
Tell me - why would this not keep everyone happy - with its streamlined match schedule, incorporating Provincial KO ties and with tiers determined on league performance?
omahant (USA) - Posts: 2849 - 21/01/2024 17:58:52
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