To clarify up front, I know we have had more than enough threads with ideas for restructuring the hurling championship, this isn't that kind of thread. Its specifically about Páraic Duffy's existing format change proposal for the SFC, and can/should that proposal also be implemented in hurling? And indeed, why has it not been mooted yet?

To recap, the proposal I'm talking about is to replace the football Quarter-finals with a round robin of 8 teams (2 groups), i.e. http://hoganstand.com/Football/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=259085
You could have the same group stage in hurling, if you take away the 2nd round of qualifiers, and the 2 existing quarter-finals, and have the 2 groups made up of the 4 provincial finalists (Provincial champs getting choice of venue for all games), and the four 1st round qualifier winners.

I know people are going to say there are already too many matches, and the club championships are already badly affected. But you'd only be adding 4 extra matches. Which could be reduced more, if you remove the league quarter-finals, which are a bit unnecessary anyway.

An argument against implementing these changes in the SFC is that it would weigh the championship in favor of the bigger teams. But it might have the opposite effect in hurling. People complain about the same teams in the final each year, but that's because we only have 2 provinces, and the winners go straight into a semi, even after only 2 matches. If you gave the 8 best teams in the country that year, an equal shot at a semi final berth, I think we'd see a better variety of teams in the final.

What do people think about the SHC having parity with the SFC in this way? Does it say anything about the GAA's attitude to hurling, that this isn't being proposed?

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 20/02/2017 19:03:48    1958844

If hurling gets 2 provincial championships feeding into 2 groups of 4, football should get their 4 provincial championships feeding into 4 groups of 4.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7823 - 20/02/2017 19:13:29    1958853

The super 8 system will work in hurling as the calendar isn't as cluttered as football as the battle for Liam doesn't involve all 32 counties, moving the final forward, a big NO

riverboys (Mayo) - Posts: 1389 - 20/02/2017 19:41:58    1958867

Because there are only 12 teams in the Liam Mc then having a super 8 almost begs the question, why not have a super 12 and maybe get rid of the provinces? ...Like having the league in summer. Yes the super 8 would work for hurling but there would be little change in the line up each year and the provincial draws would be pivotal to that line up. That said Im not a fan of round robin after knockout, its not a fair system. It will be interesting to see how the GAA propose to make the foootball super 8 work without interfeering with the hurling schedule as it stands.

ZUL10 (Clare) - Posts: 693 - 20/02/2017 20:10:16    1958876

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 21/02/2017 20:21:14    1959333

The question is how would get to a Super 8 in Hurling

At the moment the top 9 teams are way, way, way ahead of the rest so you'd have 1 strong team on the outside looking in

KYTotalFootball (Kerry) - Posts: 280 - 21/02/2017 22:31:33    1959394

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 21/02/2017 23:49:15    1959426

Unless I missed a few years at school I thought we had 12 months in a year, there is no need for the championships starting in May either hurling or football, keep our finals in September and start the hurling champ late June or early July, football mid June , that leaves over 5 months for football 6 months for hurling to get the club championships played up to the county semi finals stage, when the provincial championships begin then play your divisional competitions at club level as well as the League. People are talking about club fixtures since Noah was on the Ark yet every county board doesn't address it, they want things to remain as it is, it's time clubs take action, setting up the CPA isn't enough, if all clubs refuse to pay the annual charge to the co board and refuse to enter a team, if everybody does the same then the board have no choice but listen, no good if CPA members decide in the future not to play, by players refusing to play then clubs lose out as co board will fine the club as well as the club losing the annual charge paid to the co board, the decision has to be made before Christmas as the new season starts in January and February.
The solution to the fixture problem is simple if you remove TV coverage and gate receipts from the equation, go back to basics and listen to the grassroots and then make proper decisions. No good Duffy going to a few yes men in the co boards and claiming that they are speaking for the whole county, they are not

riverboys (Mayo) - Posts: 1389 - 22/02/2017 12:57:18    1959543

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4210 - 22/02/2017 15:27:04    1959592

Might be a great idea if there was no clubs in the country. They need to reduce and not increase inter county games

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 22/02/2017 15:37:03    1959596

73forever (Limerick) - Posts: 89 - 22/02/2017 16:01:41    1959603

September is our month for the 4 All Ireland's, real people need time to gather money to pay for tickets, we aren't privileged like the top brass in the GAA where we can dip our toes into the co board funds to pay for whatever, real people have bills to pay, food to pay for etc, we need the 3 weeks after the quarter finals to find the funds for tickets for the semi and again 3-4 weeks for the final, any right minded person will have their club championships over before the All Ireland Final except the 2 counties involved but remember this has nothing to do with county championships, it's to do with the club finals which shortly will have to be finished by end of December

riverboys (Mayo) - Posts: 1389 - 22/02/2017 21:43:39    1959707

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4210 - 22/02/2017 22:02:50    1959717

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 22/02/2017 23:55:36    1959746

I have listened to all the arguments and all the options and the debates around them. It is quite clear CPA and GPA are both against these changes for once maybe people will listen to the players and for once put them first. The competitions at Inter-county are bizarre - just try explaining it to a non-GAA person and each time they make a minor change it becomes even more surreal. League/Round-Robin format is the bread and butter competition in most other sports and a knock-out competition is the icing on the cake. We need to focus on that basic fact and change it, we also need to play leagues/championships regardless of the missing Inter-county players. We all have examples of a championship match being postponed because one Inter-county player (probably number 35 on a 36 panel) is on "Inter-county duty". Time to move into the 21st century.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4895 - 23/02/2017 08:07:28    1959761

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 23/02/2017 10:59:22    1959802