Perfect 10 - I am mildly surprised at a Wexford man having an elitist view of the Hurling world, given your own county's record at All Ireland Senior club and county level, over the last 25 odd years. Clearly facts aren't your strength. Go have a look at the Senior All Ireland hurling club semi and final results for the last 25 odd years. You can draw your own conclusions. If you can't, give me a shout and I will lend you a hand.

The club football final was way more unbalanced than the hurling. You don't hear the Northern or Galway teams, who have largely dominated in recent years, calling for changes.

Glensboy (Antrim) - Posts: 290 - 21/03/2016 20:36:20    1836564

perfect10 don't let the disappointment of not having Oulart in the final cloud your judgement - as far as I can see it is almost 20 years since a Wexford team contested the final when Rathnure were beaten out the gate - because a team runs another close in a semi-final there are no guarantees they would have been as close on the big day with the whole occasion thing to factor in and probably more tellingly a much better pitch and conditions than what was a great leveller in the semi-final.

As for the proposals - 6 of the last 9 club championship wins have went to either Connacht or Ulster - so tell me again why these two provinces should be included elsewhere?

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 22/03/2016 08:32:52    1836595

imagine oulart v na piarsaigh in that final,extra time,what a spectacle that game was and it would have been a fitting final.

perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts:1267 - 21/03/2016 19:00:05 1836

2012.....
imagine Loughgeil v na piarsaigh in that final,extra time (in Parnell Park),what a spectacle that game was and it would have been a fitting final (2012)

Instead we ended up with Coolderry conceding 3 goals in the first half, game over...

Do you see where I'm going with this perfect10?

There have been plenty of one sided AI club finals, but its only ever an issue when a northern team are involved, strange that!!!

And then we get these bull**** proposals and talk of hurling dying in Ulster when some of the decisions made by various Hurling development committee's have been very detrimental to hurling in the north. Changing the club championships would be another one of these terrible decisions!

bricktop (Down) - Posts: 2503 - 22/03/2016 09:53:53    1836615

bricktop,i have been banging on about this for years,it is more than an issue when northern teams are involved.it is an issue when there are so many 1-sided games,not just northern teams.

perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 22/03/2016 15:55:09    1836800

How about a compromise, lads? Maybe the Galway champions & Ulster champions should not meet each other in the semifinals but only in the final if they beat the Leinster & Munster champions. Year 1: Ulster champs V Leinster champs & Galway champs V Munster champs
Year 2: Ulster champs V Munster champs & Galway champs V Leinster champs

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 22/03/2016 17:47:25    1836851

Keeper, why doesn't someone just choose a Leinster and Munster team to play each other in the final each year. Of course this would fly in the face of any fairness, completely undermine the ethos of the GAA and. more importantly, contradict the actual record of Galway and Ulster teams in this competition. You couldn't make this up.

Glensboy (Antrim) - Posts: 290 - 22/03/2016 18:49:54    1836876

well lads,being honest,there is nothing "fair" about a competition where Clara,Oulart,Na Piarsaigh,Thurles Sarsfields, having to win 4-5 matches to get to the same stage as a team from galway or antrim,is there?
if these teams are good enough,why are you so against them joining the leinster club championship?

perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 22/03/2016 19:32:38    1836890

Perfect 10 - You need to do your homework on the number of matches Ulster and Galway teams have to play in order to get to the top of the pile in their respective provinces, and perhaps you make an assumption that the club teams you mention would win out against Ulster and Galway opposition. The facts would show different.

Glensboy (Antrim) - Posts: 290 - 22/03/2016 20:13:24    1836913

By the same token perfect you could use that analogy towards Ulster senior football teams. Why should they come through a tough Ulster Championship picking up injuries and suspensions while Kerry/Cork/Mayo canter into the All Ireland series after soft provincial 'Championships'?

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9703 - 22/03/2016 20:22:57    1836917

Basic problem here is too few counties in Ireland play hurling to a high standard.

Muilleann (Tipperary) - Posts: 114 - 23/03/2016 15:26:50    1837093

By the same token perfect you could use that analogy towards Ulster senior football teams. Why should they come through a tough Ulster Championship picking up injuries and suspensions while Kerry/Cork/Mayo canter into the All Ireland series after soft provincial 'Championships'?

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts:7750 - 22/03/2016 20:22:57 1836917

Yes you could use that example , now tell me is that you agreeing or disagreeing , not like you to sit on the fence ?

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 23/03/2016 15:35:48    1837099

Perfect10
You are so right. NAP had only a point to spare over Kilmallock and Patrickswell at home and titanic matches v SMB, TS and Ballygunner in Munster, followed by a cliffhanger v OTB. There is no way the Galway or Antrim Champ had to encounter the same level of challenge. When Newtownshandrum won this competition they had an even difficult passage, as they encountered a number of very tough games in Cork. As regards football in Munster people forget that teams from 5 different counties have won the Munster Championship in the last ten years and a few Waterford teams have put up very creditable performances in finals, in the province.

Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4321 - 24/03/2016 09:30:53    1837219

I take Ulsterman's point as being those who wish to change the format in club hurling and have already got the format changed in county hurling would not entertain the idea of allowance being made for Ulster county football teams. Ulsterman well capable of speaking for himself though.

Damo no issue for Dubs in any code or at any level and certainly if I were from there I would be sitting happy keeping the head down looking for no change to anything from funding to competition with maybe the exception being looking for a little more competitive prep in the football before semi-final day.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 24/03/2016 09:31:26    1837220

And to get off the fence myself I would prefer All Ireland level in both codes at county level to be an open draw meaning same amount of games for all hopefuls and the chance to either progress of have a crack at one of the big guns. Easily the fairest system.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 24/03/2016 09:46:03    1837228

2 quick questions, if Na Piarsaigh had beaten Sarsfields of Galway by 10 points last week would people be looking for a change in structure? When Portumna beat De La Salle of Waterford by about 20 points a few years back did people ask for a change in structure?

The answer to the above is no. It is because it was an Antrim team that people are up on their high horse and saying there needs to be changes. It again shows that the vast majority of people patronise Ulster hurling and say aren't they great aul lads for keeping it going but actually deep down they look down their noses on Ulster hurling.

Cop on lads. Cushendall were there on merit.

mike03 (Limerick) - Posts: 2000 - 24/03/2016 10:22:56    1837239

And to get off the fence myself I would prefer All Ireland level in both codes at county level to be an open draw meaning same amount of games for all hopefuls and the chance to either progress of have a crack at one of the big guns. Easily the fairest system.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts:1738 - 24/03/2016 09:46:03 1837228

Aint going to happen as those on here complaining about NAP, Oulart and Newtownshandrums tough passage to an AI final will be the ones fawning over their Leinster and Munster championships.

The elephant in the room is the unevenness of the provincial championships, but nothing will happen with them, vested interests, but hey lets mess about on the periphery with the Connacht and Ulster hurlers to make it easier for our lads!!!

bricktop (Down) - Posts: 2503 - 24/03/2016 10:30:11    1837240

Mike
You are pulling our chain. if I recall Portumna correctly narrowly beat De La Salle and were an exceptional side, who should still never have got to a final by just beating the Ulster Champs, or indeed vice a versa.

Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4321 - 24/03/2016 12:48:40    1837304

ApoligiesMike. Portumna did beat then heavily.
However they took Clarenbridge to a point in 2001 and they (CB) then hammered O'Loughlin Gaels in the final, after LG had a nine win over the Antrim champs.

Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4321 - 24/03/2016 13:02:23    1837313

Oldtourman.

From the RTE website:
"Portumna 2-24 De La Salle 1-08
As comprehensive a victory as there has ever been in a club final. In fairness, Portumna probably operated at only 70 per cent of their capacity."

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 24/03/2016 13:28:41    1837332

Actually, Eamonn Sweeney wrote a nice piece about the Club All-Ireland Finals (Hold the Back Page) on Sunday in the Independent where he extolled their merits. Can't find a link for it :-(

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 24/03/2016 13:37:49    1837334