Whatever happens, it will be to suit the top few counties

valley84 (Westmeath) - Posts: 1890 - 21/04/2015 08:15:21    1715874

If you are in a "league" you play all teams in the league its fairly simple. You can't have a league where you only play half the teams.

chriscart580 (Meath) - Posts: 376 - 21/04/2015 08:50:06    1715883

in 2014 Offaly beat a weakened Antrim team in Tullamore and then Antrim beat them a week or so later in the relegation play off, so Offaly did have two points on the board going into the div1B/Div2A promotion/relegation battle.

McGill is talking nonsense, if it is logical for this then why is it not logical for Waterford to play Clare to see who goes up and down in Div1A/B?

How come no other divisions have these quarter finals that Div1A and B have either??

On the perception that a winning margin in hurling of 8 to 10 points is a one sided game, is nonsense. In recent weeks we've seen Cork come back from bigger margins to win. Hurling can be a cruel game as the Dubs can testify, it doesn't take long or too many mistakes to rack up a goal or two and tack on a few points.

It isn't football.

bricktop (Down) - Posts: 2503 - 21/04/2015 11:42:18    1715939

Tyrone hurling manager, Mattie Lennon, makes some points on the issue:

link

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 21/04/2015 17:04:17    1716102

Its got to be so frustrating for Tyrone, especially as its stifling real progress. Look at what Tyrone have achieved recently, Lory Meaghar champions in 2012, then Nicky Rackard Champions in 2014. They won Division 3b in 2014, won promotion, and then won Division 3A this year at the first go. That's amazing progress. Clearly this is a team that's capable of moving up the ranks, and thriving. This seems like a real case where a team develops and improves when put in with better competition, not wilts.
I think that illustrates perfectly why having teams play play-offs, rather than automatic promotion, is so bad for hurling in general. If we really want hurling to grow, we have to facilitate growth. Currently, we're inhibiting it.

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 21/04/2015 17:23:36    1716117

The hurling 2020 review suggested scrapping all promotion relegation play-offs between all divisions. Kerry moving above the glass ceiling will probably encourage change to get us back down.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7871 - 21/04/2015 19:06:19    1716153

"Its got to be so frustrating for Tyrone, especially as its stifling real progress. Look at what Tyrone have achieved recently, Lory Meaghar champions in 2012, then Nicky Rackard Champions in 2014. They won Division 3b in 2014, won promotion, and then won Division 3A this year at the first go. That's amazing progress. Clearly this is a team that's capable of moving up the ranks, and thriving."

The other side to that is that Donegal have also made huge progress in that time also winning Meagher & Rackard Cups in quick succession as well as getting promoted up through the ranks of the lead. They were highly competitive in Div 2B despite finishing bottom. They pipped Tyrone in the promotion/relegation after a replay. Both these counties have improved through their underage development & structures. Has this negatively impacted on football in either county? No! Why can't other counties (like my own) realise this?

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 21/04/2015 20:38:12    1716186

The Hurling Development Work Group proposed a league/round robin format for the provincial championships a few years ago, but it was rejected, in favored of a watered down version of the basic skeleton of the idea. Check out the following:
http://www.independent.ie/sport/hurling/maccarthy-cup-on-course-for-yet-another-overhaul-29022229.html

Basically, you would have 5 teams in each provincial championship (Leinster and Munster), and both championships would have been played on a round robin league basis (every team plays each other once, 4 games in total), and guarantee 2 home games. There would also be a 3rd qualifier group of 5 teams, that would be played off in ther same way. Top 2 in each group would go into the final, with the winners going onto the semi's, the losers going onto the QF's. Other QF's places would come from the 3rd placed teams in Munster/Leinster facing the top 2 teams from the qualifier group.

It would have done away with back-door games. So I think it would have decreased the number of games overall, but given every team more guaranteed games. And because most championship fixtures could now be known months in advance, certain weekends during the season could be designated for club activity.

I think it was a really good plan, it should be revisited.

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 21/04/2015 20:39:43    1716187

The promotion/relegation issue aside, Lennon is critical of the Hurling Development group in general & their lack of any new ideas on how to develop or promote hurling in weaker counties. Then again, was there anyone from a "weaker county" even on this committee???

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 21/04/2015 20:42:39    1716188

oops, meant to post that in the 'Knockout Championship is Rubbish' thread

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 21/04/2015 20:49:06    1716193

The promotion/relegation issue aside, Lennon is critical of the Hurling Development group in general & their lack of any new ideas on how to develop or promote hurling in weaker counties. Then again, was there anyone from a "weaker county" even on this committee???

You get the odd token gesture, I think it was Sambo in this instance.

As Marlon has pointed out (indirectly), the 2020 committee concentrated solely on the elite hurling, nothing considered about the rest of us wiling away.
We'll maybe get that nonsense of a 'Team Ulster' playing in the championship wheeled out again!!!

bricktop (Down) - Posts: 2503 - 22/04/2015 09:31:11    1716263

Bricktop,

Sambo is not from a "weaker county". Antrim is a McCarthy Cup county. There was noone on it from a Ring, Rackard or Meagher Cup county.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 22/04/2015 10:46:23    1716298