Has the recent results in the hurling championship quashed this idea that hurling is more competitive than football?

Even with a structured championship to remove the weak teams 5o% of matches are uncompetitive.
There is a lot of debate about changing football but none about hurling.

For all the great skills of hurling, the GAA continues to fail in the promotion of the game and cannot even produce 12 competitive counties.
At least there is open debate about the state of the football championship and the rules of the game. Why no debate about the state of hurling? Do the big counties not want a competitive championship?

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1140 - 22/06/2015 08:34:06    1740573

Partially because there are only 12 counties who take it seriously, within that small group you have a wide variety of actual and potential. But hurling is a very different game yesterday Limerick looked to have the game swinging their way and just it went from them in a flash. Bar one or two counties anything can and is liable to happen with the rest.

I don't think there is a serious desire on the part of a lot of counties in promoting or advancing hurling, they probably (rightly) feel it will impact on football. So making inroads is next to impossible. As the championship progresses I believe games will get tighter - but unfortunately it will still be KK to win AI.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4903 - 22/06/2015 08:58:55    1740594

Its competitive in Ulster :) and great to watch, 16 goals over 2 games yesterday :)

DoireCityFC (Derry) - Posts: 1580 - 22/06/2015 09:48:21    1740648

yesterday was the first really bad day for hurling in about 4 years. The last 2 championships have been excellent. Anyway I don't think it's as simple as you put it. Football has way more teams competing at similar levels. Hurling is just a better game that's all. No amount of restructuring will change that.

Football has Dublin/Kerry Donegal,mayo(sometimes)

Hurling has Kilkenny,Tipp out on their own then probably galway at the minute. Limerick(sometimes) then 4/5 other teams that there's little between.

Competition wise it's not that different. Dublin and Kilkenny will win the all-relands regardless of what other teams do. Sure they might get some frights but they are roasting hot favourites.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 2738 - 22/06/2015 10:13:17    1740673

Hurling is a great Championship come August, I have never quite seen what all the fuss is before that. Although in saying that I hope we get two great provincal finals this year.

sam1884 (UK) - Posts: 999 - 22/06/2015 10:38:55    1740711

The problem with both GAA sports is that they are not serious competitions until August. Kilkenny are nearly relegated and then that yesterday! Wexford don't need to be too disillusioned either. The game was not worth fighting for in the end. For Wexford, it begins now against Cork. Limerick likewise kind of threw in the towel when it was going away from them but they know they are still in it. I would start judging teams from now on. KK and Tipp looked great yesterday but all it takes is one below par performance in August and their year is over in the same month that it begins!

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 22/06/2015 11:12:02    1740734

How exactly would you change it? And why? There is always going to be some teams out in front of others its how sport works. The 12 team structure allows the weaker of the 12 teams to develop. Look at Dublin. How would they have progressed if the hurling championship was like the football championship. they would be hammering teams like Longford only to get hammered themselves by The Cats.

The championship has been poor this year but look the amount of teams that can possibly win the all Ireland. Kilkenny, Tipp, Cork, Galway, Clare, Dublin,Limerick, Waterford. It makes for a competitive championship all year round.

Why do we always want to change something in our games? Literally every week its something different.

deadybai (Kilkenny) - Posts: 63 - 22/06/2015 11:13:12    1740736

its funny
i stated this exact arguement a few weeks back and was told I was mad
that in hurling there aint one sided hammerings like dublin gave longford
I pointed out a number of games in last years championship and was told they were once off things that dublin and wexford
and so on just had bad days and that all teams are equal
now since we have seen
galway beat dublin by 13 points
gaway beat laois by 20 points
kilkenny beat wexford by 24 points
tipp beat limerick by 16 points

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 22/06/2015 11:33:39    1740757

deadybai how many of those teams are realistically going to win it? KK, Tipp or Galway and that's it. If anyone outside those three win it this year I'll be amazed.

M Lyster (Antrim) - Posts: 465 - 22/06/2015 17:37:54    1741114

One thing which I've noticed is that apart from Waterford, the standard of defending this year has been awful. Probably you could say that for the last couple of years also. Teams are setting themselves up for shoot-outs, which produces huge scorelines, but teams will surely cop on to that like Waterford have.

Watching both games on TV yesterday, a huge amount of players can't tackle properly. They throw themselves in and either wrap their arms around, drag a guy down, or commit themselves to early and leave space behind themselves. The amount of fouls that are given, and the amount that are not given (particularly Kirwin yesterday) is massive.

Football defenders tackling perfected. Football teams have more structure and tactics. They now actually commit less cynical fouls than hurlers as far as I can tell, and hurling could do with the black card. It often doesn't make for a great visual product, but it is what it is.

ringo (Wexford) - Posts: 384 - 22/06/2015 17:38:20    1741116

All in all the football is always more competitive. So far in the 15 seasons this century 4 counties have won hurling titles (none of these being first time winners).
In football during this period 7 different counties have won All Irelands (including 2 first time winners).

bdbuddah (Meath) - Posts: 1365 - 22/06/2015 17:43:40    1741120

I'd give Galway little chance this year. World class one day, no class the next, still too reliant in Joe. Waterford, Cork and Clare have more chance than them but a fair bit behind Tipp and Kilkenny.

Football is Kerry, Donegal or the Dubs.

Has there been a hurling or football championship where you could seriously say there were more than contenders to win it, way back in June?

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7387 - 22/06/2015 17:51:58    1741128

More than 3 contenders I meant to say !

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7387 - 22/06/2015 17:54:56    1741131

football snobs

Maroonatic (Galway) - Posts: 1060 - 22/06/2015 18:54:53    1741166

bdbuddah
County: Meath
Posts: 46

1741120
All in all the football is always more competitive. So far in the 15 seasons this century 4 counties have won hurling titles (none of these being first time winners).
In football during this period 7 different counties have won All Irelands (including 2 first time winners).

yes and 3 other counties (Meath,Down,Mayo) contested the final. so that's 10 different teams reached the final in 15 years.(7 winners)
in hurling you had 8 different counties contesting the final in 15 years but only 4 different winners.

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5518 - 22/06/2015 18:56:50    1741169

Greenandred - How can you realistically say Mayo are not serious contenders when they have been so close to winning the All-Ireland in the last three years. Probably the second best team in each of those years.
Kerry won the All-Ireland last year and they were seen as no hope.
Clare won the hurling All-Ireland two years ago, very few would have put them in the top three at the beginning of the championship.

fainleog (Limerick) - Posts: 598 - 22/06/2015 19:10:01    1741179

Because I'm from Mayo !

Contenders means realistic chance if winning, not finishing second. At this point I don't see us ahead of Dublin, Donegal and Kerry, the winners of the last three All Irelands. Winning and being second are different planets as far as I'm concerned. Hope I'm wrong but I don't see anyhting different in this years team that says they'll lift the Sam in 2015.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7387 - 22/06/2015 19:57:53    1741202

In hurling Tipp will probably win it- but I am hoping Galway will push them all the way with their full forward line. In Football can't look beyond a Kerry Dublin final. But I would not rule out Cork in Munster. They dislike Kerry and will push them all the way.

galwayford (Galway) - Posts: 2522 - 22/06/2015 20:22:45    1741219

Before this weekend there were 6 games in the hurling championship proper and i think only one had been won by the bookies favourite. A noticeable change in the last few years is how teams really put away the opposition when they get a chance, meaning huge winning margins. Galway had Dublin beat after 25 minutes in the replay but were lucky to draw the first day and if both sides meet later in the year it will probably be 50:50 again.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 22/06/2015 20:38:24    1741228

Football is more competitive overall but hurling is more competitive at the top end. We knew that at the start of the year that the All-Ireland will be won by one of 4/5 teams, Dublin, Kerry, Mayo,Donegal & Cork an outside bet, and hurling had up to 8 contenders then (there are not 8 now!) but below that football is far more unpredictable & competitive.

A division 3 team in football could beat a division 1 or 2 team but there is zero chance of that in hurling. We have seen three division 2 teams in hurling getting a serious hammering at the weekend. Would that happen in football? Don't think so.

county man (Limerick) - Posts: 1102 - 22/06/2015 21:16:58    1741259