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Spare a thought for the Mayo Club Championship

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Replying To Tacaí Liatroma: "No, you are: players who are reasonably expecting that their next club championship game will be on, say, October 15 would now have to have it on October 29 when maybe they had other plans. Subsequent rounds would also be put back, and all because a county couldn't get their championship sorted out on time." The Connacht club final is down to be played the last Sunday in November. Delay everything 2 weeks and it's getting played at best on December 11th, with just 1 postponement due to weather it would be the last Sunday before Christmas Day. I'd have sympathy for Mayo due to being in the backdoor, the replay and their U21s reaching the All-Ireland, were it not for the last round of fixtures being postponed so county players could have 4 weeks rest. Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 20/09/2016 21:05:53 1917157 Link
Replying To lobbitin: "Mayo should nominate a club team from each grade to represent the county in the proverbial championship. I would allow the final group of club games to go ahead and draw the county representatives from the 3rd place finishers in each group as their year is generally over at that stage. This will not affect the integrity of the senior and intermediate county title and give our club footballers a chance to not be rushing the county championship and give it the respect it deserves . It's a once off but it's an option that may work. Not fair to hold up the other county's champion's champions games due to our inter county teams success." But then you have the likes of Castlebar & Ballintubber who have won county finals over the last few years, surely they'd have serious ambition of winning a provincial and All Ireland final? Club players being shafted yet again if that was to happen. Joe_Bloggs (Tipperary) - Posts: 186 - 21/09/2016 15:27:32 1917495 Link
Replying To lobbitin: "Mayo should nominate a club team from each grade to represent the county in the proverbial championship. I would allow the final group of club games to go ahead and draw the county representatives from the 3rd place finishers in each group as their year is generally over at that stage. This will not affect the integrity of the senior and intermediate county title and give our club footballers a chance to not be rushing the county championship and give it the respect it deserves . It's a once off but it's an option that may work. Not fair to hold up the other county's champion's champions games due to our inter county teams success." I don't see how that plan makes sense. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4226 - 21/09/2016 16:34:15 1917545 Link
They'll just have to go Wednesday Sunday for their next 2 rounds. If there's no disruption they could do Sunday, Sunday for the last 2 rounds and be finished a week before. They should've played a round between the semifinals and final but even if they had things would still be tight. There's only so much room county boards have to schedule club games. I just think the current system is broken. Inter county football needs to be blocked off, then followed with club football after. My ideal would be St Patrick's day to Aug Bank Holiday AI final. 21 weeks, is loads of time to get a season played off. Get every club championship starting on the 2nd weekend of August and give them 9 weeks to be run off. 6 weekends over the rest of the year are all that's needed to finish the AI club championships (Ulster and Leinster avoid the London quarter-final, Leinster already avoid it for some reason) Proper off season with only schools football and colleges being played in January and February. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4226 - 21/09/2016 16:44:04 1917549 Link
Replying To Joe_Bloggs: "But then you have the likes of Castlebar & Ballintubber who have won county finals over the last few years, surely they'd have serious ambition of winning a provincial and All Ireland final? Club players being shafted yet again if that was to happen." Not disputing is unfair to the club footballers the whole set situation is unfair. Its an option. If the Connaught council play ball and push the championship back 2-3 weeks then that makes more sense. Midweek games are not a viable option in Mayo with so many lads working or in college all over the country that's a non runner IMO. A county title is very special to clubs/community's and i just don't think its right to rush it, important to let club footballers try and enjoy the county club championship its their passion and hobby after all. lobbitin (Mayo) - Posts: 20 - 21/09/2016 16:47:07 1917551 Link
I hope the GAA move the inter-county finals forward to August. Clubs should have a month between the league and championship and September onwards freed up for club/county championships. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7853 - 23/09/2016 15:24:57 1918449 Link
Maybe Saturday-Sunday games are the way to go for this year to finish it off. Therefore, if you had two group games left for each team, they could be played on successive days. Not nice for any team, but at least if a team has to do it, they'll know their opponent has to do it too, which is fair. Tough, but fair. Maybe knockout games would have to be considered in this too, but that would only be if they were very very very VERY very very very tight for time. Tacaí Liatroma (Leitrim) - Posts: 1032 - 23/09/2016 16:39:43 1918479 Link
Replying To Tacaí Liatroma: "Maybe Saturday-Sunday games are the way to go for this year to finish it off. Therefore, if you had two group games left for each team, they could be played on successive days. Not nice for any team, but at least if a team has to do it, they'll know their opponent has to do it too, which is fair. Tough, but fair. Maybe knockout games would have to be considered in this too, but that would only be if they were very very very VERY very very very tight for time." Making footballers play two championship games in one weekend is negligent IMO (bad enough that it occurs in competitions such as the Sigerson Cup, let alone the county senior championship!). The potential for injury is multiplied significantly when you have tired players throwing themselves into tackles in poor conditions. Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 23/09/2016 16:59:23 1918484 Link
Gleebo - Exactly, so that should only happen in a desperate situation. And if whoever in charge decides that this is a desperate situation, I'm sure the clubs won't take it lying down. Tacaí Liatroma (Leitrim) - Posts: 1032 - 23/09/2016 17:55:09 1918496 Link
Replying To Joe_Bloggs: "Once the All Ireland finishes, the county board dont give a sh!t about the county players, they'll be playing 3 times a week to make sure the championship is run off. Its happening in Tipp as we speak. Some Tipp players had to play the Wednesday after the All Ireland final." Now here is the most accurate point in the whole debate, the club C'ship doesn't really matter. Talk by one poster of a strike is nonsense as it will never happen as most club delegates are the stroke masters in their clubs perceived to know how the board works & being able to swing things their way or have a word in someone's ear, these guys would never countenace a strike. That's why it will never happen. Take Galway hurling club delegates well noted for bitching about fixtures & games, yet they voted to cancel this year's club C'ships, talk about turkeys voting for Christmas. Another reason nothing will happen is that club players are gone beyond caring & have developed a take it or leave it a attitude. Outside of the top 10 senior teams in each county look at all the junior clubs & games, lads getting maybe 5 games a year across 10 months, loads of walk overs etc its a joke & that is why players are leaving in droves. The Gaa is all about Inter County baby, clubs are just shit on the shoe to them, that's why the GPA raised over €2,000,000 in the States & now get 10% of all Gaa commercial revenue. No GPA or funding or games for clubs. NO, just make sure Ye have yer registration & affiliation fees in on time. My advice to disillusioned club players is to try something else, you will be amazed at Whats out there & how well organised they are & the things that are missing from Gaa, adhered schedule & games, enjoyment, camaraderie, enjoyment & sportsmanship & fun are all there in other sports. Many lads wonder why they didn't do it earlier. Gaa thro drawing out seasons has a hold on lads who are afraid to try or commit to anything else. Lastly I wouldn't be to worried about dates of Connacht club C'ships as Prenty will ensure these are pushed out for Mayo clubs as has happened before. Lastly expect the incoming Uachtaran to say in his inaugural speech how clubs are the bedrock of the Association & are so close to his heart & important to him, they all say it, lip service. The current man also says it, yet there has been no improvement & if he & Padraic Duffy have their way, there will be two extra inter county c'ship matches next year. They will also go down in history as the two who began the trend towards pay for play by giving the GPA 10% of its commercial revenue. The slow death of club football is well under way, the question is, who cares any more ? moc.dna (Galway) - Posts: 1212 - 23/09/2016 18:25:47 1918508 Link
Offaly SFC group stages finished one month ago, 27/28th August. The semi finals are tomorrow, 4 weeks later. Games began in mid July, final on 16th October. Decided at February OCB meeting. SHC semi finals scheduled for next weekend, county final on23rd October. Reason given Offaly in Leinster round robin hurling championship. Personally I think October is too late for Offaly finals, we are out of contention since July. thelongridge (Offaly) - Posts: 1741 - 23/09/2016 21:28:46 1918566 Link
It really is strange the amount of breaks given to teams in the GAA. Most amateur sports play 1 game a week pretty much every week. In the GAA it takes ages to play games off. What are they waiting for? It's so frustrating, all the while you train away, for nothing. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4226 - 23/09/2016 22:15:11 1918582 Link
The regular league games tend to finish at the end of March. April should be pencilled in for at least 2 rounds of club championships. Even counties involved in league knockout should have every other weekend in April free for club action. Club championship should supercede inter-county league. Counties need to run more than half of their county leagues over May to August without the inter-county players. It will afford the club player regular game time. Each county can get their own house in order. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7853 - 24/09/2016 08:20:22 1918604 Link
Replying To legendzxix: "The regular league games tend to finish at the end of March. April should be pencilled in for at least 2 rounds of club championships. Even counties involved in league knockout should have every other weekend in April free for club action. Club championship should supercede inter-county league. Counties need to run more than half of their county leagues over May to August without the inter-county players. It will afford the club player regular game time. Each county can get their own house in order." Under 21s is in April, that's what snookered Mayo. There's too many different teams, grades in the GAA all played at hap hazard times. The calendar needs to be dictated from the top. The Intercounty season needs to be shortened and blocked off from the club championship season. The current parallel running of them is a proven failure. It's not ideal for anyone. County teams don't want to release their players for club action. Clubs don't get access to training their players whilst they're involved with county. Clubs have to play a stupid split season April and September for championship. A teams season could be pretty much over in mid-April having only started in February. March to July should be blocked off for all county representatives competitions. Club leagues without county players played alongside. August and September devoted to club county championships. Clubs get full access to their players and 9/10 full weeks budgeted for them and decided at the start of the season. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4226 - 24/09/2016 10:10:46 1918624 Link
The U20 football championship will be played in June, July and August. That's a positive step if it free players up for club championship games in April. It's unfortunate if a club's championship is over in April. It does happen many clubs around the country however. If a county has good competition structures, they'll have a league to keep them going until October. It's up to counties again to have their own house in order. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7853 - 24/09/2016 12:59:48 1918654 Link
Replying To Whammo86: "Under 21s is in April, that's what snookered Mayo. There's too many different teams, grades in the GAA all played at hap hazard times. The calendar needs to be dictated from the top. The Intercounty season needs to be shortened and blocked off from the club championship season. The current parallel running of them is a proven failure. It's not ideal for anyone. County teams don't want to release their players for club action. Clubs don't get access to training their players whilst they're involved with county. Clubs have to play a stupid split season April and September for championship. A teams season could be pretty much over in mid-April having only started in February. March to July should be blocked off for all county representatives competitions. Club leagues without county players played alongside. August and September devoted to club county championships. Clubs get full access to their players and 9/10 full weeks budgeted for them and decided at the start of the season." Good alternative. moc.dna (Galway) - Posts: 1212 - 24/09/2016 17:48:00 1918711 Link
I'd agree with freeing August for club championships as well but it will not happen. Summer months. Championship promotion. It's the way it is. Freeing up September will be progress. Most club championships offer at least 3 games be it group stage or double elimination like Christy Ring Cup. 2 club championship rounds in April and the next rounds in the summer/autumn should be manageable for all counties. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7853 - 24/09/2016 18:34:10 1918729 Link
Replying To legendzxix: "I'd agree with freeing August for club championships as well but it will not happen. Summer months. Championship promotion. It's the way it is. Freeing up September will be progress. Most club championships offer at least 3 games be it group stage or double elimination like Christy Ring Cup. 2 club championship rounds in April and the next rounds in the summer/autumn should be manageable for all counties." I think the GAA kind of waste March to June right now inter county wise. There's 4 bank holidays in there. Those are the days that the GAA should target for getting people particularly families out to games. I don't see anything special about August really besides tradition. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4226 - 25/09/2016 10:21:25 1918828 Link
Play National League games on Saturday nights Feb- April with unused subs playing for their clubs on a Sunday. Club leagues run at same time as National league and then the whole of May devoted to club championship early rounds. No need to start the Senior Football Championships until June and have them finished by middle of September when club activity can pick up again. Byanthon (Tyrone) - Posts: 1780 - 25/09/2016 10:50:50 1918835 Link
You have to take into account the promotion of the game. The best window for the promotion of the championships is in the off season of professional sports. Championship is a traditional part of summer. You are barking up the wrong tree entirely if you think the inter-county championships will finish before August. I'm all for improving fixtures, structures and formats but it has to be realistic. I know many clubs who are out of their club championships before June. They get on with the game and still have league games and district championships to play in. Counties again have to get their own houses in order. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7853 - 25/09/2016 10:59:29 1918838 Link