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10-team Group Stage for AI SHC ?

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Given the discussionx at Central Coucil today - why not have a group stage for the AI SHC as well ? Group Stage to include the existing 10 teams in Muns and Lein, not involved in the initial 4-team round robin. With the last 5 in each Prov, play out the remainder of the Prov Championships, with the participants in each of the 8 ties fed (not drawn) into two groups, A and B. Put the Muns QF loser in Group A, the QF winner in B, with their SF opponent in A. The two teams from the other SF are placed one to each group, so that the Final opponents are in opposite groups. In Lein, put the QF loser in Group B, with the four SF teams split two to each group in a similar fashion. Merge the Muns trio and the Lein pair to complete Group A and each team completes a 5-match schedule against the five teams in B (5x5, 25 group matches). Finally, the top 3 in each group enter one half of the 6-team AI knockout stage. 1st in A play an AI SF against QF winner from 2nd v 3rd in A. No repeat pairing is possible prior to the AI Final. omahant (USA) - Posts: 2580 - 29/10/2016 17:07:42 1930055 Link
Martin Breheny was writing in the Irish Independent about the need for a group stage in hurling as well. He was suggesting 2 groups of 4 with provincial winners having 2 home games. My suggestion for football is 4 groups of 4 with provincial winners awarded 3 home games and their group rivals receiving 1 home game each. My suggestion for hurling is 2 groups of 4 with provincial winners awarded 3 home games and their group rivals receiving 1 home game each. Suggestions that give a clear reward for winning the provincial title are the most likely to get through congress. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7840 - 29/10/2016 20:46:48 1930096 Link
Some Prov matches could be baked into the groups as well - say, your 4x4 has a Prov Final in each group (or 8x4 headed by a Prov SF). Taking my approach, you could havre 2 SFs from one Prov marged with 2 SFs from another - then teams complete 4 group matches against the other mixed Prov group. omahant (USA) - Posts: 2580 - 30/10/2016 03:11:39 1930123 Link
God lads your making it sound very complicated. Simple as this for hurling - get the best 16 teams and have 4 groups of 4. Top two in the group go through to all Ireland 1/4 finals. Bottom team in each group goes into the relegation semi final to go back to the Christy ring cup. It doesn't need to be any more complicated than that. 890202 (Wexford) - Posts: 1278 - 30/10/2016 09:09:22 1930132 Link
Replying To 890202: "God lads your making it sound very complicated. Simple as this for hurling - get the best 16 teams and have 4 groups of 4. Top two in the group go through to all Ireland 1/4 finals. Bottom team in each group goes into the relegation semi final to go back to the Christy ring cup. It doesn't need to be any more complicated than that." It's so easy, yet it probably won't be done in the next 10 years. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4217 - 30/10/2016 10:46:21 1930140 Link
Replying To 890202: "God lads your making it sound very complicated. Simple as this for hurling - get the best 16 teams and have 4 groups of 4. Top two in the group go through to all Ireland 1/4 finals. Bottom team in each group goes into the relegation semi final to go back to the Christy ring cup. It doesn't need to be any more complicated than that." The provincial councils will only vote for something that retains the provincial championships and have meaningful reward for winning the provincial title. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7840 - 30/10/2016 12:44:38 1930162 Link
Replying To legendzxix: "The provincial councils will only vote for something that retains the provincial championships and have meaningful reward for winning the provincial title." Which sadly means they won't abide any change at all. If the GAA was being founded today the championships in both codes most certainly would not be set up in the illogical arrangement that tradition has lumbered them with. PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1903 - 30/10/2016 15:42:32 1930184 Link
The reason why I'm 'less simple' is because I'm baking Prov ties into the group phase - only way to work is play the other group. omahant (USA) - Posts: 2580 - 30/10/2016 15:47:29 1930186 Link