If Derry had carried their league form into championship, the expectation would have been for them to get by Longford, Tipperary, Laois and Galway. Ulster would have had 4 All-Ireland quarter-finalists. The expectation from last week's draw is that there will be 4 Ulster All-Ireland quarter-finalists. It's to be expected from a competitive province, similar to being in division 1.

In 2003 their was an all Ulster All-Ireland final. The capital, Kerry, Donegal and Mayo have a great record in quarter-finals as provincial champions over the last 4 years. Tyrone have been the only qualifier county to make the semi-finals in that time.

Is Ulster really at a disadvantage? They can only have 1 provincial champion. 4 All-Ireland quarter-finalists appears in line with expectation. The quality of provincial champions appears all that's keeping more than their provincial champion out of the semi-finals.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7844 - 14/10/2014 18:27:53    1663675

Typical silly post by a Kerryman on the back foot.A true sign that mr legend is feeling a liitle aggrieved at the amount of genuine posters,from every corner of the country,who believe Kerry have a huge advantage by playing in Munster.There are none so blind as those who choose not to see.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 14/10/2014 18:37:23    1663678

Your opening words are more appropriate for your own post. Posts regards my own county are exactly what I wanted in the lead up to the final. They mean success.

Ironically an edge we had going into the final was a tougher semi-final.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7844 - 14/10/2014 19:39:31    1663714

Come on legend,admit ye have it handy in Munster.Ye have always been the standard bearers.The aristocrats.No arguments there.But the provincial system is not fair.And ye are the main beneficiaries.This is not knocking Kerry,as i am a big fan.As i am with Kilkenny.But we need fairness across the board.Can you see nothing wrong with the system?

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 14/10/2014 19:49:21    1663720

This argument about Kerry doesnt stand up.
If this easy run through Munster was such a great advantage why are Antrim so poor in hurling and also why did Galway hurlers go into Leinster and give up the advantage of being unchallenged in Connacht.

BIG SACKS (Tyrone) - Posts: 1681 - 14/10/2014 20:11:39    1663727

Dont know why legendzix is getting all bent out of shape.
every poster on these threads slagging off kerry would give their right arm to have a similar record, regardless of the championship structure.
In the modern era, I feel that the dubs have the biggest advantage in the all ireland series in terms of the structure of the all ireland.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 14/10/2014 20:12:35    1663728

Why is that Joncarter?

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 14/10/2014 20:15:49    1663730

No competition in Leinster. At least kerry have to beat Cork (who in fairness arent great). The leinster champo gives the dubs a few good warm ups before the all ireland series, with almost no prospect of defeat.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 14/10/2014 20:36:39    1663743

I'm wintering well lads. I'm only asking a few questions. Cool beans ;)

Ulster's high probability of 4 quarter-finalists is what the qualifiers are there for. There are possibly too many qualifier rounds. A reason why a Round of 16 merits consideration?

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7844 - 14/10/2014 20:38:37    1663744

Big sacks
Maybe Kerry should do as GALWAY hurlers did , unchallenged in CONNAUGHT so leave it but as Kerry are unchallenged in MUNSTER ( or I think some people believe it anyway) why not leave MUNSTER.
And this solution would solve all arguments;;;;;;;;Kerry enter the Ulster championship BUT have to play all their games in Ulster. Well for the first ten years anyhow and see how they get on

SamOnErrigal (Donegal) - Posts: 1427 - 14/10/2014 21:21:11    1663758

No disrespect to those provinces but there's more of a challenge from the Munster runners-up than the Connacht or Leinster winners are getting. If people want to ignore that, it's fair enough. Ye're reasons are understandable. We'll winter well! ;)

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7844 - 14/10/2014 21:54:31    1663774

Jays I don't know Sam, it's a fair trek from west and South Kerry to ulster but would ye meet us half way maybe limerick??? Or thurles ?? Or tullamore ?

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 14/10/2014 22:04:01    1663781

This argument about Kerry doesnt stand up.
If this easy run through Munster was such a great advantage why are Antrim so poor in hurling and also why did Galway hurlers go into Leinster and give up the advantage of being unchallenged in Connacht.

Antrim in the hurling isn't really comparing like with like though Big Sacks. No disrespect to any of the other Ulster hurling counties but the reality is that there has traditionally been no competition for Antrim and only on 13 occassions did we not win it. It meant that when we came out of Ulster we hadn't played any team near the standard of who we were meeting in the semis as they were. Plus, because of where we are located in relation to the Hurling powerhouses, the logistics in trying to even get challenge games over the years has proven problematic with very few of the Counties coming up North and as we aren't a rich County the costs of travel etc mean that you can't be going on the road all the time. And thats before we even get in to the issues we have always had with player unity where guys from one club won't play if guys from another club are playing or won't pass to them if they are on the field together.

However, you've got me thinking that it highlights how the GAA treat different counties or regions. The Ulster championship was nullified with regards to getting a path to the semi due to the fact that certain voices didn't feel that Antrim deserved to be in a semi as Ulster Champions (or whatever spin they put on it). Yet in the football we have two Provinces where for the main you had always the same 2 counties from each province getting to the semi final (and more recent 1/4s) yet this was seen as OK. I wouldn't have minded if they put Antrim straight in to the Hurling quarter final as Ulster Champions but instead we are put in to a situation where to win the All-Ireland this year for example, we would have had to play 9 Championship games - that is the 4 games in the Leinster Qualifiers to get in to the Leinster 1/4 finals, Leinster 1/4, Leinster Semi, Leinster Final, AI Semi and AI Final. Thats the shortest path we could have had (and added to this the Ulster Final as well) and when you compare it to Dublin this year they could have lifted Liam in 4 games. So when you consider that its not too long ago we were on a par with Dublin and a not too further back from that where we would have arguably been a better team than them, it shows that we have probably gone backwards since they changed the format to suit the bigger teams.

There are also socio-political reasons both within the North and the GAA which also make the comparison between Kerry football and Antrim Hurling not a good one but I am not going to start getting in to them here for fear of the mods... ;-)

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 15/10/2014 09:01:14    1663794

In the 90's Kerry had aspirations of entering the Ulster hurling championship but ye were not for it. London got shafted in an Ulster hurling championship a few years back. Westmeath expressed an interest to join and were not allowed either.

It's argued Kerry have an advantage. Surely Galway and Antrim hurlers should have been dominating All-Ireland hurling by that rate prior to moving to Leinster? Goalposts being moved. We shall winter well! ;)

Mayo, Cork, Kerry, Dublin Region and 4 Ulster counties in the quarter-finals is in line with the league performances.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7844 - 15/10/2014 09:46:36    1663807

Surely Galway and Antrim hurlers should have been dominating All-Ireland hurling by that rate prior to moving to Leinster?

See above

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 15/10/2014 10:19:56    1663828

Valid point offside and sure its only Antrim they wont mind being shafted, theyll be just glad to get games!

Its funny all the tinkering with the hurling championship seems to be to the detriment of the supposed weaker teams

bumpernut (Antrim) - Posts: 1852 - 15/10/2014 10:33:27    1663833

Sure Kerry as 2A winners should be in Division 1B next year.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7844 - 15/10/2014 11:08:40    1663849

They should indeed legend

bumpernut (Antrim) - Posts: 1852 - 15/10/2014 11:35:22    1663857

Of course you should legendzxix - another example of the hierarchy which goes on.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 15/10/2014 11:44:49    1663862

It's no excuse for us not winning the Christy Ring however and missing out on the opportunity to join Antrim in the Provincial Qualifier Group.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7844 - 15/10/2014 12:03:02    1663872