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New York's Hurling Ambitions

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New York have beaten Leitrim and Galway Development to make the Connacht Hurling League final. There is talk of New York entering the Lory Meagher Cup in 2025. New York are saying they cannot afford to enter the round robin format. How are New York likely to be accommodated in the Lory Meagher? Will the second placed team have to travel to New York for a semi-final? Current Lory Meagher counties shouldn't lose out on group games to accommodate New York. Who is going to pay for Lory Meagher counties travelling to New York?

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7890 - 05/01/2024 08:11:18    2518429

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Replying To legendzxix:  "New York have beaten Leitrim and Galway Development to make the Connacht Hurling League final. There is talk of New York entering the Lory Meagher Cup in 2025. New York are saying they cannot afford to enter the round robin format. How are New York likely to be accommodated in the Lory Meagher? Will the second placed team have to travel to New York for a semi-final? Current Lory Meagher counties shouldn't lose out on group games to accommodate New York. Who is going to pay for Lory Meagher counties travelling to New York?"
New York would walk the Lory Meagher cup and Nicky Rackard cup.

Did you see their squad?

At a minimum they are a Christy Ring level team.

Past hurler (None) - Posts: 744 - 05/01/2024 12:22:09    2518470

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Replying To legendzxix:  "New York have beaten Leitrim and Galway Development to make the Connacht Hurling League final. There is talk of New York entering the Lory Meagher Cup in 2025. New York are saying they cannot afford to enter the round robin format. How are New York likely to be accommodated in the Lory Meagher? Will the second placed team have to travel to New York for a semi-final? Current Lory Meagher counties shouldn't lose out on group games to accommodate New York. Who is going to pay for Lory Meagher counties travelling to New York?"
They are accommodated in the football, they should be accommodated in hurling. Winner of lower division of the league should be awarded a trip to New York for a match

TheDigger (USA) - Posts: 84 - 05/01/2024 17:07:11    2518515

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I just can't see how it works for the lower ties. Football has two and NY only enter at the knockout stage.
It wouldn't be fair to have a Lory Meagher team play 5 rounds only to be knocked out in the final. I think they should bring them into the Christy Ring. Maybe let them play the second placed county and then into the final.
So this year would have been Derry v NY in the SF and then Meath v Derry/NY in the final.

Rolo2010 (Donegal) - Posts: 739 - 05/01/2024 18:08:25    2518528

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Replying To legendzxix:  "New York have beaten Leitrim and Galway Development to make the Connacht Hurling League final. There is talk of New York entering the Lory Meagher Cup in 2025. New York are saying they cannot afford to enter the round robin format. How are New York likely to be accommodated in the Lory Meagher? Will the second placed team have to travel to New York for a semi-final? Current Lory Meagher counties shouldn't lose out on group games to accommodate New York. Who is going to pay for Lory Meagher counties travelling to New York?"
It would be a money spinner for any county that would get to play them. Look at how much all Connacht football county boards love to get an away game to New York. If properly planned (ie with potential fixtures drawn up a few months in advance) the lucky county that gets to play them could earn more on fundraising at a dinner function in NY than they may get in a whole year back home. Mind you, all Lory Meagher teams have county boards that have little to no interest in hurling, so whether the fundraising revenue would all be used for the promotion of hurling within the county concerned is a moot point.

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1907 - 05/01/2024 18:27:53    2518531

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Replying To Rolo2010:  "I just can't see how it works for the lower ties. Football has two and NY only enter at the knockout stage.
It wouldn't be fair to have a Lory Meagher team play 5 rounds only to be knocked out in the final. I think they should bring them into the Christy Ring. Maybe let them play the second placed county and then into the final.
So this year would have been Derry v NY in the SF and then Meath v Derry/NY in the final."
Would counties agree to letting New York have a bye from the Meagher and Rackard?
It seems most likely that New York will join the Meagher. If New York won the Meagher Cup and then were starting in a Rackard semi-final, there should be some mechanism where they could be relegated also:
If New York are getting a bye to the Rackard semi-final and lose the Rackard semi-final, they should enter a relegation playoff versus the 5th place team. If New York lose, they drop to Meagher. If New York win, they remain in Rackard and the 5th placed team has to take on the Meagher runner-up in a relegation promotion playoff.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7890 - 05/01/2024 20:37:01    2518545

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Replying To TheDigger:  "They are accommodated in the football, they should be accommodated in hurling. Winner of lower division of the league should be awarded a trip to New York for a match"
Totally agree. I think its a great idea, and the trip for both teams be a great incentive and add to the competition. Be good way to boost hurling in weaker counties with practical support including paying for the flights and accommodation, rather than endless navel gazing and doing nothing.

If they used their imagination they could surely sell it as a TV prospect.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 2591 - 05/01/2024 21:03:59    2518550

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Replying To PoolSturgeon:  "It would be a money spinner for any county that would get to play them. Look at how much all Connacht football county boards love to get an away game to New York. If properly planned (ie with potential fixtures drawn up a few months in advance) the lucky county that gets to play them could earn more on fundraising at a dinner function in NY than they may get in a whole year back home. Mind you, all Lory Meagher teams have county boards that have little to no interest in hurling, so whether the fundraising revenue would all be used for the promotion of hurling within the county concerned is a moot point."
The NY trip being a money spinner is a thing of the past, and counties are having second thoughts on the transatlantic arrangement;

"....The costs are significant for the counties travelling. There was a time when you could go and raise a lot of money in New York, but those days are gone," he (Prenty) suggested.

https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/new-york-trips-for-championship-matches-to-be-reviewed-as-travel-costs-are-spiralling-connacht-chief-john-prenty/42428800.html

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1648 - 05/01/2024 21:30:24    2518555

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Longford competed in Connacht Senior League last year but weren't in a position to be able to compete this year. How in Gods name would a county with three hurling clubs and struggling numbers be able to fund a trip to America for a Lory Meagher game? Difficult enough to get across to Birmingham to play one of the two teams in Britain. The notion is great, the practicality for lower tier hurling counties is hard to see.

LongfordgaaAbú (Longford) - Posts: 475 - 06/01/2024 11:20:20    2518594

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Replying To LongfordgaaAbú:  "Longford competed in Connacht Senior League last year but weren't in a position to be able to compete this year. How in Gods name would a county with three hurling clubs and struggling numbers be able to fund a trip to America for a Lory Meagher game? Difficult enough to get across to Birmingham to play one of the two teams in Britain. The notion is great, the practicality for lower tier hurling counties is hard to see."
Fair point. You make an argument for New York travelling for a semi-final, with the final on the weekend after. The majority of the expense then is on New York.
Example from last year's Meagher Cup:
27 May 2023 - Semi-final - Lancashire v New York
3 June 2023 - Final - Monaghan v Lancashire or New York
Tough on New York but if they are getting a bye to a semi-final, it should be a tough road.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7890 - 06/01/2024 16:57:32    2518657

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Replying To Past hurler:  "New York would walk the Lory Meagher cup and Nicky Rackard cup.

Did you see their squad?

At a minimum they are a Christy Ring level team."
New York beat Mayo in the Connacht Hurling League final this evening. Mayo were relegated from the Christy Ring last year. Probably a fair shout that New York will get to that level at least if they are added to the championship tiered structure.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7890 - 06/01/2024 22:28:17    2518719

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Replying To legendzxix:  "New York beat Mayo in the Connacht Hurling League final this evening. Mayo were relegated from the Christy Ring last year. Probably a fair shout that New York will get to that level at least if they are added to the championship tiered structure."
Sure that is a no-brainer when you look at their panel.

Former Galway's minors and lads playing Kilkenny & Tipp senior club hurling on their team.

They would beat the likes of Louth and Longford out the gate in the Lory Meagher,

I don't think they'd survive in the Joe McDonagh as it is a very high standard but they could hold their own in the Christy Ring cup I would imagine,

Past hurler (None) - Posts: 744 - 06/01/2024 23:38:01    2518734

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Replying To legendzxix:  "Would counties agree to letting New York have a bye from the Meagher and Rackard?
It seems most likely that New York will join the Meagher. If New York won the Meagher Cup and then were starting in a Rackard semi-final, there should be some mechanism where they could be relegated also:
If New York are getting a bye to the Rackard semi-final and lose the Rackard semi-final, they should enter a relegation playoff versus the 5th place team. If New York lose, they drop to Meagher. If New York win, they remain in Rackard and the 5th placed team has to take on the Meagher runner-up in a relegation promotion playoff."
That sounds like a good compromise. They win and get into a final. Lose and they enter a relegation play-off. All 3 games to be played in Ireland so no cost to the weaker counties.

Rolo2010 (Donegal) - Posts: 739 - 06/01/2024 23:46:43    2518735

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If New York hurling continues to improve, there is a potential spot for them in the Liam McCarthy Cup.

Instead of the finalists of the Joe McDonagh cup qualifying, just the champions qualify along with New York.

All Ireland preliminary quarter-finals:

Joe mcdonagh champions v Leinster / Munster 3rd
New York v Leinster / Munster 3rd

For example this year could look like…..

Westmeath v Clare
New York v Wexford

GaA247 (Cork) - Posts: 58 - 07/01/2024 22:07:19    2518924

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Replying To GaA247:  "If New York hurling continues to improve, there is a potential spot for them in the Liam McCarthy Cup.

Instead of the finalists of the Joe McDonagh cup qualifying, just the champions qualify along with New York.

All Ireland preliminary quarter-finals:

Joe mcdonagh champions v Leinster / Munster 3rd
New York v Leinster / Munster 3rd

For example this year could look like…..

Westmeath v Clare
New York v Wexford"
I'd give my compatriots a great chance versus Wexford. We need to our away kit being black n amber. That'd really up the ante!

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 1937 - 08/01/2024 00:02:14    2518931

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Replying To foreveryoung:  "I'd give my compatriots a great chance versus Wexford. We need to our away kit being black n amber. That'd really up the ante!"
Think Maroon or Sky Blue would lead to better results against us;-)

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 12124 - 08/01/2024 08:55:26    2518945

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Replying To legendzxix:  "New York have beaten Leitrim and Galway Development to make the Connacht Hurling League final. There is talk of New York entering the Lory Meagher Cup in 2025. New York are saying they cannot afford to enter the round robin format. How are New York likely to be accommodated in the Lory Meagher? Will the second placed team have to travel to New York for a semi-final? Current Lory Meagher counties shouldn't lose out on group games to accommodate New York. Who is going to pay for Lory Meagher counties travelling to New York?"
Honestly this type of stuff drives me mad. The overseas Boards should quit spending their money on trying to send teams back to play in competitions in Ireland and put more money into developing the game locally. Everyone on here how it would be great to see etc and at the same time saying look at the team they have with lads that played county in Ireland. The amount of money that has been spent by GAA teams over the years in the US is ridiculous and what have they to show for it? Ironically its perhaps outside NY that most of the work is being done. Its not to say that underage is not happening but this is doing nothing to help it.

zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 1806 - 08/01/2024 10:45:12    2518971

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Replying To legendzxix:  "Fair point. You make an argument for New York travelling for a semi-final, with the final on the weekend after. The majority of the expense then is on New York.
Example from last year's Meagher Cup:
27 May 2023 - Semi-final - Lancashire v New York
3 June 2023 - Final - Monaghan v Lancashire or New York
Tough on New York but if they are getting a bye to a semi-final, it should be a tough road."
Parachuting a team into a contrived semi-final stage after not taking part in the round robin phase will weaken the competition and demean the title. Fair play to NY for what they are doing and have achieved, but that doesn't mean it's right or proper to introduce a transatlantic element to lower tiers of the hurling championship in an amateur sport. If you examine the attendances at Lory Meagher games, you would be out of your mind to think there is a legitimate case for adding an American team to the competition. Sorry to be glum on this, but hurling is badly struggling in many counties in Ireland and depleting funds to support a transatlantic element to the competition seems like lunacy.

LongfordgaaAbú (Longford) - Posts: 475 - 10/01/2024 14:32:23    2519422

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I'd question what exactly NY have "achieved" that some posters are congratulating them on. It's not like they've developed a home grown squad or improved their standing from a low base. They've a strong squad of players from established counties so it's no shock to see them beating some of the weaker counties in Ireland.

Like a few other posters I'm also wondering what the value is in bringing NY over to more competitions if they're just going to be a team of players from Ireland. If a gang of 2nd stringers from various Liam MacCarthy counties clubbed together, there wouldn't be a hope in hell of them being allowed play inter county competitions. Yet move them all to NY and they are allowed.

The money spent on these trips could be invested far better in coaching or facilities.

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1648 - 10/01/2024 18:52:15    2519469

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same with London's hurlers, few decent lads from top tier counties that make them competitive as hurling is not a well developed as football in most of Ireland, so a team of journeymen can easily win the LM and NR competitions and be competitive in the JM, if they had been forced to only send homegrown (or at least players with full citizenship of US) they would not be doing so well

gaelsboy (Leitrim) - Posts: 463 - 11/01/2024 12:09:26    2519581

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