would anyone else like to see the football league return to its early 2000s format of div 1a and 1b and 2a and 2b? why is every county in Ireland not given a shot aat winning thee league? these div 2 3 and 4 league finals are a total joke. this years league semis sould have been 1st in div1 played 2nd in div 2 vice versa same in div 3 and 4. 1st in div 3 play 2nd in div 4 in the div 2 semi finals?
the div 1 final is a farce now with 4 teams coming out of a group of 8 to a semi final.this is a crazy system.
Does anyone remember Westmeath reaching a league semi final from div 4, unfortuantly this can never happen again.

would anyone be able to tell me how many teams won the league from outside div 1 over the years?

dickie10 (UK) - Posts: 687 - 13/04/2014 20:33:31    1574629

I would. Louth won the division two titles in 2000 and 2006.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 13/04/2014 20:44:11    1574641

No,

The leagues are valued and meaningful now, we don't want restructuring.

The best teams are in Div 1, Cork, Kerry, Tyrone, Diblin etc

If you had it your way Armagh might win Div 3 and progress to the Nat. league quarters, which we did in 1994 from div 3 and defeated Dublin, then laois - this was romantic, but it devalued the earlier rounds
We are in Div 3 - because that is our league positioning

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1673 - 13/04/2014 20:59:44    1574653

How would the leagues be valued when you play a final that no one cares who wins cause their both promoted?as in div 2-3-4. One way of making these league finals interesting would be to have the winner of the final being promoted and have just the bottom team go down , I still think that div1 and 2 teams should play semi finals for the div1 league and 3 and 4 play off for the div2 league, does anyone know which teams came from outside div 1 to win the league title?

dickie10 (UK) - Posts: 687 - 14/04/2014 12:59:38    1574893

Dickie
So in your opinion a team could be top by 4 or 5 points and not get promoted by losing the league final, smart one alright!!

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1671 - 14/04/2014 13:19:27    1574912

Dickie was Offaly one of the teams?

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 14/04/2014 13:57:15    1574948

Why the hell should teams in Div 4 (or any non Div 1 league for that matter) have a chance of being overall league champions.
Some of the format suggestion I read here are laughable.
If anything the hurling structure should go back to where it was 4 years ago, similar to the existing football one. If that means the likes Offaly having to take their medicine so be it.

RoyalBadger (Meath) - Posts: 571 - 14/04/2014 14:07:33    1574953

I'm not 100% on this, but I think Offaly might have won the National Football League in 1998 from Division 3.
I've forgotten what the format of the divisions was then, but I think the quarter-finals were made up of the top 4 from Div. 1, top 2 from Div. 2 and the first place side from both Divisions 3 & 4. If memory serves me correct, Offaly won Division 4 in 1997 under Tommy Lyons and were beaten by Kildare in the quarter-final of the league. Then in '98, I'm assuming that we played in Division 3 and topped that as well before going on and beating Donegal in a semi-final and Derry in the final. But maybe I'm wrong? If somebody can clarify any of this, then please do.

OffalyBigBall (Offaly) - Posts: 625 - 14/04/2014 15:47:24    1575042

I agree with Royal Badger. The league is great because you play teams at your level and is a good barometer of your progress. What gain would the likes of Tipp or Clare get from getting a hammering off Dublin or Cork?

The structure at the moment is nailed on. The only change I would make is getting rid of the semi-finals in Division 1.

JP91 (Armagh) - Posts: 316 - 14/04/2014 16:53:27    1575088

Now is the time to end the nonsense of semi finals in a group of 8.

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3346 - 14/04/2014 17:24:48    1575106

OffalyBigBall
County: Offaly
Posts: 551

1575042
I'm not 100% on this, but I think Offaly might have won the National Football League in 1998 from Division 3.
I've forgotten what the format of the divisions was then, but I think the quarter-finals were made up of the top 4 from Div. 1, top 2 from Div. 2 and the first place side from both Divisions 3 & 4. If memory serves me correct, Offaly won Division 4 in 1997 under Tommy Lyons and were beaten by Kildare in the quarter-final of the league. Then in '98, I'm assuming that we played in Division 3 and topped that as well before going on and beating Donegal in a semi-final and Derry in the final. But maybe I'm wrong? If somebody can clarify any of this, then please do.

I think the league was restructured after 97.We beat Kerry in Tullamore in the 97-98 league (John Kenny popped up with a late score in that game as far as I can remember) and both teams were in division 1.

http://www.terracetalk.com/kerry-football/game/267/1998-Kerry-Vs-Offaly
http://www.terracetalk.com/kerry-football/year/1998/League

uibhfhaili1986 (Offaly) - Posts: 1296 - 14/04/2014 17:30:33    1575110

Currently the team that wins Division 1, will have played 7 league stage games, a semi final and a final.

Could we not bump Division 1 up to 10 teams, with 9 rounds of games and top of the table wins.

This would ensure everybody in the top flight gets 9 competitive games each.

Division 3 and Division 4 could be reduced to 6 teams each, playing 5 home and 5 away. Division 2 could be 10 teams also.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 14/04/2014 17:33:45    1575117

Gary what about three divisions with eleven teams in each one? Im including Kilkenny. If Kilkenny dont want to compete the bottom division has ten teams. Each team play each other once and they have ten games. Five Home and five away. Team with the most points wins the league. Two up and two down between each division and the third from the bottom plays the third from the top in a relegation/promation play-off.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 14/04/2014 17:47:53    1575123

Here's a mad idea.Considering the league has been outstanding this year perhaps it would be a good thing to leave things exactly as they are.I'm really looking forward to the 4 league finals, they look like they are going to be excellent matches.We have 4 competitive divisions and performing well in the league is more important than ever these days. Continual changes to the structure has sadly made a mockery of the hurling league over the last 6 or 7 years we don't want that to happen with football.

uibhfhaili1986 (Offaly) - Posts: 1296 - 14/04/2014 18:51:49    1575155

The league is grand. 7 regular games and 2 up/down between divisions.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7840 - 14/04/2014 19:38:50    1575190

To me its the championship setup that needs to be changed. Kerry automatically start in Semi Final and automatically avoid Cork. Meanwhile Tyrone would have to beat Down, then Monaghan, then Armagh/Cavan to make an Ulster Final against probably Derry/Donegal. There will be 8 teams gone having played just 2 matches. The munster championship will have 1 match with more than 5,000 spectators. It really is time the GAA tried to revamp the season so the bulk of the matches are in the most important competition.

tyroneed (Tyrone) - Posts: 753 - 14/04/2014 20:31:22    1575225

Football leagues are fine as they are, can't see anything wrong with the current setup. The championship is a bit of a dogs dinner but for me league is fine in both codes.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4896 - 14/04/2014 20:36:24    1575230

Why has div 1 got semi finals , the final should have been the top 2. How can teams who finish 3rd or 4th be classed as league champions it's a farce.

knowtherules (UK) - Posts: 181 - 14/04/2014 20:46:53    1575236

I like Gary Mc82 and Ollie ideas - bigger Divs 1 and 2. The depth in football is grezter than hurling, so 4 Divs is a bit much.
Those of you who 'follow' my postings know this is my favourite topic, although the impression given many times, none of you are 'fans' :)
I'd go for a 12-12-8 format. In Div 1, I'd have mid-ranked teams (seeds 4 to 9) play the other six (lessens risk of one-sided matches).
One league table, top 4 to SFs, bottom 4 down.
Likewise in Div2, but with only 2 down.
Div 3 plays conventional 7 games, top 2 to Final and both promoted.

omahant (USA) - Posts: 2580 - 15/04/2014 21:43:23    1575758

OLLIE
County: Louth
Posts: 6256

1575123
Gary what about three divisions with eleven teams in each one? Im including Kilkenny. If Kilkenny dont want to compete the bottom division has ten teams. Each team play each other once and they have ten games. Five Home and five away. Team with the most points wins the league. Two up and two down between each division and the third from the bottom plays the third from the top in a relegation/promation play-off.

Well that is another option that could be viable.

I suggested the top divisions have 10 x teams in each, as every team will play 9 games. Currently only the two finalists play 9 games.

It's finding a right balance, as the club's have games going on too in what is another major argument.

I would like to see Kilkenny return, and I think the bigger football counties should make more of an effort to help the smaller football counties gain traction.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 16/04/2014 11:12:46    1575867