National Forum

Tailteann Cup: Right To Scrap Group Stage?

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Down were relegated from Division 2 last year. They put themselves in danger of missing out. Ulster is likely to have 4 league qualifiers. That's what everyone voted on. League route qualification outside of provincial finalists.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9667 - 27/04/2026 14:46:26    2669259

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Could be an argument for an 18/14 split for Sam Maguire/Tailteann Cup. Looking at the 4 TC winners so far Westmeath, Meath, Down, Kildare.......all counties you'd expect to find in the Sam Maguire race. Seems to be a larger quality gap between the 17-18 ranked sides and 19-32 ranked sides, than there is between 17-18 and 15-16 ranked sides, which tends to make the business end of the Tailteann Cup a bit predictable, as evidenced by the roster of winners to date.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4685 - 27/04/2026 17:29:33    2669319

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I thought that the top 8 teams in TC would be seeded. As in All-Ireland competition league positions should have meant something

Jack L (None) - Posts: 3204 - 27/04/2026 21:27:00    2669368

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Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "Could be an argument for an 18/14 split for Sam Maguire/Tailteann Cup. Looking at the 4 TC winners so far Westmeath, Meath, Down, Kildare.......all counties you'd expect to find in the Sam Maguire race. Seems to be a larger quality gap between the 17-18 ranked sides and 19-32 ranked sides, than there is between 17-18 and 15-16 ranked sides, which tends to make the business end of the Tailteann Cup a bit predictable, as evidenced by the roster of winners to date."
Isn't that similar in the Sam Cup though. I think we could all give it a pretty good shot at the final 4 in Sam now who would have predicted Limerick making the Tailteann Cup final?

As for 18 / 14 split. How would that work?

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 253 - 27/04/2026 22:07:05    2669382

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20 of 32 teams are at risk of missing out on the All Ireland through the league. The lower half of Division 2 downwards. 62.5%. If they had a preferred way of doing things differently, they'd have a good chance of getting it agreed.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9667 - 28/04/2026 12:20:22    2669485

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Replying To legendzxix:  "Down were relegated from Division 2 last year. They put themselves in danger of missing out. Ulster is likely to have 4 league qualifiers. That's what everyone voted on. League route qualification outside of provincial finalists."
Yes the rules are the rules but our relegation from Division 2 last year was unlucky? We got 6 points and got relegated on the head to head rule with Louth. Tyrone and Cavan both stayed up in Division 2 this year on fewer points this year ( 5 points and 4 points respectively)?

REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts: 1755 - 28/04/2026 12:46:22    2669500

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Replying To REDANDBLACK30:  "Yes the rules are the rules but our relegation from Division 2 last year was unlucky? We got 6 points and got relegated on the head to head rule with Louth. Tyrone and Cavan both stayed up in Division 2 this year on fewer points this year ( 5 points and 4 points respectively)?"
I don't disagree. If there is a better way to handle All Ireland qualification, Down county board need to raise it with Croke Park.
My own tuppence worth is 2 knockout qualifying rounds for 24 non finalists to reduce to 7 or 8 league qualifiers.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9667 - 28/04/2026 13:04:43    2669509

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Let the provincial comps go ahead and we have 4 winners who can bask in their glory.Then an open 32 county draw for the Sam Maguire-you get who you get and maybe we could see Kerry heading to Leitrim or Armagh down to Carlow or 2 so called big guns going out in first round.It cant be an all Ireland if all Ireland are not included.Forget about tailteann cups etc and the whoever wins are all Ireland champs.

Bruno@1 (Westmeath) - Posts: 319 - 28/04/2026 13:17:41    2669514

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Replying To legendzxix:  "I don't disagree. If there is a better way to handle All Ireland qualification, Down county board need to raise it with Croke Park.
My own tuppence worth is 2 knockout qualifying rounds for 24 non finalists to reduce to 7 or 8 league qualifiers."
Yes that system you suggested for 24 non finalists would be much fairer because the draw Down got in Ulster this year is a nightmare having to beat the number 1 team in Ireland ( I think Kerry were no 1 last year but Donegal seemed to be ahead of them this year judging by the National League final) in their own backyard and then another top team in Armagh in consecutive weeks is very difficult?

Our win over Donegal is arguably the result of the Championship so far (thanks to Kerry for challenge match really seemed to help our players on Sunday). For Down to be put in Taillteann Cup after such a win seems harsh but if we go into Taillteann Cup we need to try to win it again.

Down got pushed all the way by Sligo and Laois in the Taillteann Cup in 2024 there are plenty of teams who can provide a challenge for us in that competition also. Yet playing in the All Ireland would be better for the development of this Down team who have shown they can compete at the highest level over the last couple of years.

REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts: 1755 - 28/04/2026 13:44:01    2669521

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Replying To Bruno@1:  "Let the provincial comps go ahead and we have 4 winners who can bask in their glory.Then an open 32 county draw for the Sam Maguire-you get who you get and maybe we could see Kerry heading to Leitrim or Armagh down to Carlow or 2 so called big guns going out in first round.It cant be an all Ireland if all Ireland are not included.Forget about tailteann cups etc and the whoever wins are all Ireland champs."
Thats spot on. Second chances and round robins only favour the better teams, or more especially teams with bigger picks of better players.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19373 - 28/04/2026 15:11:43    2669550

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Replying To Bruno@1:  "Let the provincial comps go ahead and we have 4 winners who can bask in their glory.Then an open 32 county draw for the Sam Maguire-you get who you get and maybe we could see Kerry heading to Leitrim or Armagh down to Carlow or 2 so called big guns going out in first round.It cant be an all Ireland if all Ireland are not included.Forget about tailteann cups etc and the whoever wins are all Ireland champs."
No!

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 516 - 28/04/2026 16:42:12    2669583

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Replying To Jack L:  "I thought that the top 8 teams in TC would be seeded. As in All-Ireland competition league positions should have meant something"
Agree 100%.

ORIELMAN85 (Monaghan) - Posts: 1018 - 28/04/2026 16:48:21    2669587

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Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "Could be an argument for an 18/14 split for Sam Maguire/Tailteann Cup. Looking at the 4 TC winners so far Westmeath, Meath, Down, Kildare.......all counties you'd expect to find in the Sam Maguire race. Seems to be a larger quality gap between the 17-18 ranked sides and 19-32 ranked sides, than there is between 17-18 and 15-16 ranked sides, which tends to make the business end of the Tailteann Cup a bit predictable, as evidenced by the roster of winners to date."
Some of the problems have come from Provincial finalists bumping those teams down into the 2nd tier.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4639 - 28/04/2026 17:22:36    2669601

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Galway beat No. 31 ranked Leitrim in their 1st round game and are qualify for Sam Maguire as a Provincial Finalist
(yes, they would have qualified anyway based on their league ranking).

Down beat No. 1 ranked Donegal in their 1st round game but must beat No. 6 ranked Armagh in order to qualify for Sam Maguire as a Provincial Finalist.

The link between the Provincial Championships (Sam Maguire Cup) and the All-Ireland Championship is inherently unfair. Connacht and Munster counties are at an advantage - they can qualify for Provincial Final by winning one game.

saorkick (Dublin) - Posts: 26 - 28/04/2026 17:27:32    2669604

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Replying To Bruno@1:  "Let the provincial comps go ahead and we have 4 winners who can bask in their glory.Then an open 32 county draw for the Sam Maguire-you get who you get and maybe we could see Kerry heading to Leitrim or Armagh down to Carlow or 2 so called big guns going out in first round.It cant be an all Ireland if all Ireland are not included.Forget about tailteann cups etc and the whoever wins are all Ireland champs."
It is so obvious that is exactly how the format should be if they want to continue with the provincial championships

ohwow (Leitrim) - Posts: 159 - 28/04/2026 18:43:13    2669618

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