Let's face reality, Dublin have won 9 out of the last 10 Leinster's and will likely win the next 10 making it 19 out of 20. They've hammered everybody this year and last year too. Often without really even trying.

What is the actual point of this championship anymore? Apart from giving Dublin a chance to give an exhibition in front of a half full croker? Meath hammered Carlow and if we were fitter could have beaten Kildare by 15 or more. Imagine those teams coming up against the Dubs? It would be scary.

Wexford and Laois this year had less than 1,000 supporters each for their matches v Dublin. Meath had a very big crowd up yesterday but I along with a lot of Meath supporters will not pay €35 a head again for a very long time. I hope the rest of the Meath support vote with their feet. I don't support a system that has everything in Dublins favor when in reality it's the other counties that need everything in their favor just to compete.

At least if Dublin were removed and it became a championship similar to the Connaught hurling championship with Galway removed. You'd have 9 counties who be competitive and 7 or 8 that have a realistic chance of winning.

Where would you move Dublin?

There are a number of options.

1: Straight into the All-ireland at the first round qualifier stage
2: Straight into the All Ireland Quarter finals like Galway used to do in the hurling.
3: Move them to Munster where they'd get at least 2 teams competitive with them and their rivalry with Kerry would reach new heights.
4: Move them to Ulster and see how they get on.

At this point I hope Dublin keep hammering everybody in Leinster until the headless chickens running the GAA realize the rest of us are not lambs to the slaughter. It's not feasibly possible for 11 counties all with populations of around 200k down to 50k to compete with a region the size of Dublin.

And before any Meath traditionalists come on saying it will be grand, I don't consider us possibly beating Dublin once in the next 10 years ok. Especially when no other team will likely come close. In my 25 years following Meath that was the first ever Meath Dublin match that it really didn't bother me that we lost. I just don't care anymore and I see why the likes of Wexford/Laois etc bring tiny crowds to games v Dublin in particular.

To reiterate, the sooner meath stop turning out and supporting this joke of a championship the better. Save your money. When the Dublin following gets sick of their annual exhibition and only turn up for the AI series change will be forced. This process has already begun and the only way to speed it up is to stop giving Leinster council your money. That's all that drives them.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 21/07/2014 17:34:57    1623231

This aint Dublins problem, all they can do is beath who ever is in front of them, they have put the effort in over years at underage, and deserve their success, its up to the rest to try and follow suit..

sob (Meath) - Posts: 492 - 21/07/2014 17:38:05    1623234

How about all YE move out, we'll stay in Leinster, it is ours after all :D

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8586 - 21/07/2014 17:41:16    1623237

sob wake up and smell the coffee. Nobody is going to catch up to them. It's not like in soccer where a sugar Daddy can just come in and buy the players. Dublin have too much money, too many coaches, too many amenities, too many supporters and too many players to choose from. Its not possible to compete.

They deserve their success but they also deserve a competitive province. In Ulster or Munster they might at least get that. It does Dublin nor the other 10 Leinster counties no good having us in the same province.

Are you happy to support the current system? I'm certainly not and without any hesitation I'm not attending the Leinster championship anymore. The best case scenario in you eyes is a meath/Kildare team capable of beating Dublin once every 8-10 years. That's crap and I'd rather see a province where more than just Meath/Kildare are struggling to compete. Some of my fav Leinster moments were the likes of Laois/Westmeath/Ofally winning it.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 21/07/2014 17:46:50    1623242

That is without a shadow of a doubt one of the most ridiculous messages I have seen in a long time. You cannot justify what you are saying. So what penalize a team for being the best in their province. Should this have been applied to Kilkenny hurlers or the Kerry footballers over the years. Whatever about taking some of their games out of croke park, that is fair enough but not allowing players to aspire to winning their own provincial championship, not allow other counties play against the best. Rather than focus on Dublin's dominance maybe other counties should send their county board delegates and club reps into Dublin to learn how they are doing things and bring them back to their own. Dublin have won two all-irelands since 1995 and yes 9 out of the last 10 leinsters but the majority of the time the final is a relatively close affair. Maybe you are right give them a bye into the all-ireland final. Ridiculous stuff.

Adamski (Dublin) - Posts: 339 - 21/07/2014 17:48:45    1623246

OK so we form a province called the Greater Leinster Championship or the Leinster minus The Dublin Region Championship.

Whatever, either way it's at least it's worthwhile.

SOb just want to add Dublin have won the minor/u21/senior this year. They've total domination and it's getting worse.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 21/07/2014 17:49:09    1623247

Why should they move time for other counties to buck up instead of looking for ways to not have to play
Should be looking forward to these challenges instead of being afraid

shrek95 (Meath) - Posts: 77 - 21/07/2014 17:49:18    1623248

They are going through a dominant period, and with the financial power they have, it's hard to see it dropping off soon. But this success won't last forever. Meath will come back. Counties like Kildare will always be competitive. Kerry won 11 Munster titles in 12 years between 1975 and 1986. I'm sure at the time people thought Cork wouldn't win another won, but they proceeded to win six of the next eight when Kerry had a lull.
Cavan dominated Ulster Football for four decades and won 29 titles in 41 years, including a run of 15 out of 16 at one stage.

New powers rise. Dublin will never be far away, but other teams will come back to the fore. I wouldn't change the provincial championships.

Texas (Donegal) - Posts: 163 - 21/07/2014 17:53:46    1623253

Just ban Dublin from Football altogether!!
If you want a "Fair" system grade counties according to ability A, B and C, works in other sports including ladies football and camogie.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4895 - 21/07/2014 17:54:31    1623255

Jack..would you complain if Meath won 10 in a row?..Dubs deserve their success, you reap what you sow, and as you should probably know Meath co board over the last decade werent very proactive in ensuring success, as i know first hand the many underlying issues at underage level which inhibits any kind of growth in Gaa at roots level in Meath.

sob (Meath) - Posts: 492 - 21/07/2014 17:55:17    1623257

I can't understand this defeatist attitude. Both Meath & Kildare have a population at least the equal of Donegal & yet people here feel that there is no prospect at all of themm ever giving Dublin a game? Give me a break. When Leinster counties break every blood vessel in the bid to reach the standard Dublin have set and are still being walloped then come back & talk to me. What I have seen from ye this summer has been weak, defeatist & embarassing. Get your house in order & man up a bit!!

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 21/07/2014 17:57:39    1623260

Adamski
County: Dublin
Posts: 61

1623246
That is without a shadow of a doubt one of the most ridiculous messages I have seen in a long time. You cannot justify what you are saying. So what penalize a team for being the best in their province. Should this have been applied to Kilkenny hurlers or the Kerry footballers over the years. Whatever about taking some of their games out of croke park, that is fair enough but not allowing players to aspire to winning their own provincial championship, not allow other counties play against the best. Rather than focus on Dublin's dominance maybe other counties should send their county board delegates and club reps into Dublin to learn how they are doing things and bring them back to their own. Dublin have won two all-irelands since 1995 and yes 9 out of the last 10 leinsters but the majority of the time the final is a relatively close affair. Maybe you are right give them a bye into the all-ireland final. Ridiculous stuff.

You're not looking at this sensibly. It's not physically possible for counties to compete unless they grow their populations to at least 500k, get multi million sponsorship deals to pay for their massive number of player couches around the county.

And the rest of your points are not true. Galway were put into Leinster in hurling? Nothing wrong with them not winning the Connaught hurling championship is there?

Kilkenny's dominance set hurling in Leinster back 10 years. At the time I'd have been in favor of them moving to Munster but unlike Dublin they haven't the resources to stay so far ahead forever. If anything in 10 years time Dublin will be domination the football and hurling at all levels.

And Kerry when they were winning a lot of AI's weren't domination Munster. Limerick ran them close a few times and Cork beat them a good few times too. Completely different to Leinster currently.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 21/07/2014 17:59:43    1623263

Sorry,but what a pointless and farce of a thread..

ziggy320001 (Meath) - Posts: 2432 - 21/07/2014 18:01:39    1623264

The original poster will get loads of abuse for his views but at the end of this decade Dublin will have taken over Ireland the way they have taken over Leinster. Their progress is unstoppable really and with the level of population, money and coaches and coaching venues at their disposal they will only get better in a way that other counties can't match because we are not as big a brand as Dublin.

The options are to do away with the present intercounty system and have Dublin spilt & for other weaker counties to amalgamate. Have about 20 teams max in the country and a premier league format. It may lead to a lot of dead rubbers though unless there is a threat of relegation so perhaps 2 leagues of 10.

The game would probably have to go semi-pro or which may lead to transfers which would be a problem.

Purists might not like it but Dublin have a great chance of winning the senior, minor and under 21 all irelands this year and have been the most dominant county at this level for nigh on 6 years.

I applaud them for their success and they style they play but personally believe they should have gotten their act together a lot sooner.

I just ask Dubs not to expect the rest of us to pay our hard earned cash to watch our counties get whipped by 20 points.

The present intercounty system is unsustainable in Leinster and will be the same nationwide in a few years.

realman2 (Kildare) - Posts: 464 - 21/07/2014 18:02:20    1623265

If Meath had a population of over 1 million people, by far the most money, by far the most couches, player base and looked unchangeable they yes I'd complain. What fun would it be winning Leinster every year? Hardly anyone from Kilkenny traveled to most of their finals when they were domination. SO yes I'd rather be moved into a province that would be competitive and exciting.

And to the people quoting Cavan dominating for 40 or 50 years. Who's honestly going to support a system where Dublin dominate for the next 30 or 40 years? Realistically the only time Dublin won't win is when they don't want to win.

This is not the stone age and changes can be made. The IRFU must be loving the way it's gone. Won't be easy swaying the young generation over to supporting leinster and ireland over their county instead. Most people I know have already given up on their various counties and will support a prem soccer team or rugby instead.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 21/07/2014 18:05:31    1623270

MuckrossHead
County: Donegal
Posts: 2898

1623260
I can't understand this defeatist attitude. Both Meath & Kildare have a population at least the equal of Donegal & yet people here feel that there is no prospect at all of themm ever giving Dublin a game? Give me a break. When Leinster counties break every blood vessel in the bid to reach the standard Dublin have set and are still being walloped then come back & talk to me. What I have seen from ye this summer has been weak, defeatist & embarassing. Get your house in order & man up a bit!!

Don't be so insulting to the meath players please. I know a few of them personally. Some of them have no jobs (unemployed) yet give their lives up to play for meath. They've played a max of 3 games with their clubs this year because every week they are training with meath.

As a club man I'd rather meath stopped trying to compete and the players were allowed actually play with their clubs. It's easy for Donegal to say what you say but if you moved to Leinster you wouldn't have a hope in winning it. Especially not in future anyway.

As the Kildare poster above said it's going to get worse. In 30 years Rugby/Soccer will firmly hold the thoughts of our nation if serious change is not brought in.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 21/07/2014 18:11:46    1623272

Last week all we heard was how Meath teams never fear playing Dublin.....now you don't even want us in Leinster!!

bubba83 (Dublin) - Posts: 333 - 21/07/2014 18:12:54    1623275

Next the poor Dubs will be forced to emigrate. Seriously though it is up to others including Kildare and Meath to get their act together. The GAA also needs to invest in the rest of Leinster. There is an imbalance in relation to finances and coaching etc that Dublin are allocated compared to the rest of Leinster. Padraig Duffy as much as admitted this recently.

lilywhite1 (Kildare) - Posts: 2989 - 21/07/2014 18:13:02    1623276

if this was from a county like westmeath or longford or carlow than fair enough but to have this attitude from somebody like meath or kildare is a complete overreaction considering the population these counties have..focus on ensuring this hammering does not happen again ..look at donegal

fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 21/07/2014 18:14:26    1623278

1 hammering from Dublin and the meath man wants to get rid of the problem, Dublin because they're too good. If The game was close it would have been another great battle and long live the rivallary. The problem is with everyone else in Leinster and now including Meath. The rest need to buck up. It's not good enough that Dublin are steamrolling it every year. I'm not saying that it is great that Meath were hammered but this result may shake Leinster council in to some action like moving Dublin around the province as suggested already.

ged (Louth) - Posts: 296 - 21/07/2014 18:15:50    1623281