National Forum

How Do We Take Hurling On From Here

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


Replying To Tadhg2020:  "On its unpopularity of the round robin. I think that the attendees speak for its popularity themselves. I need say no more."
Limerick have had good attendances at Round Robin games because they are always competitive in the Round Robin years. Cork have population, and the best support in the country by a country mile even when they arent going well in fairness to them.
There have been some relatively very poor attendances at Semple Stadium, Cusack Park and Walsh Park/Waterford "home" fixtures in some games.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18885 - 24/03/2026 13:29:34    2662856

Link

Replying To Tadhg2020:  "In the last six years since 2020 to 2025 all 5 munster counties have contested an All Ireland final. I think only Kilkenny have from leinster.
If the purpose of your post is to attempt to equate the MSHC somehow to the Bob O Keeffe then that just isnt based on any reality. Yes surprises can happen but the overall quality on offer is far superior."
Its better quality because there are always 3 better teams in it in any given year. Its up to the Leinster counties, Galway and Waterford to up their games.
There were no Round Robins in 2020/2021.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18885 - 24/03/2026 13:34:12    2662857

Link

Replying To Viking66:  "Its better quality because there are always 3 better teams in it in any given year. Its up to the Leinster counties, Galway and Waterford to up their games.
There were no Round Robins in 2020/2021."
Waterford were in the final though and not a team from the Bob.The point was about the quality of teams in the MSHC. All 5 have been in a final in the last 6 years.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 114 - 24/03/2026 13:48:49    2662860

Link

Replying To Viking66:  "Limerick have had good attendances at Round Robin games because they are always competitive in the Round Robin years. Cork have population, and the best support in the country by a country mile even when they arent going well in fairness to them.
There have been some relatively very poor attendances at Semple Stadium, Cusack Park and Walsh Park/Waterford "home" fixtures in some games."
Cusack park is full pretty much every game. Im not sure what capacity of walsh Park is now but it is under 15k and has varied over the last few years due to redevelopment. I believe its full most games. Thirles holds 45k. I believe Tipp average 25k plus at their games. Im not sure what your point is but you cant argue that attendance is poor in the MSHC. Its the best attended competition in the land.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 114 - 24/03/2026 13:53:05    2662861

Link

Replying To Viking66:  "Limerick have had good attendances at Round Robin games because they are always competitive in the Round Robin years. Cork have population, and the best support in the country by a country mile even when they arent going well in fairness to them.
There have been some relatively very poor attendances at Semple Stadium, Cusack Park and Walsh Park/Waterford "home" fixtures in some games."
And , as you have pointed out yourself a few times, wexford have been competitive in Bob as have Dublin. Its not reflected in the attendances though.

In relation to Wexford, in particular, I always find that puzzling. You cant sell out an 18k capacity wexford park for your championship fixtures but bring 40k plus to CP any time you are any good. That baffles me. Perhaps if the people got behind the team ye wouldnt slip up so often( as described by you).

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 114 - 24/03/2026 14:20:34    2662873

Link

Replying To legendzxix:  "Some years can play out that a team might not quite challenge. Same applies in Leinster. Wexford the year they avoided relegation weren't challenging for top 3. Can happen in either province."
Apart from Kilkenny there has been no team in Leinster that has been wholly confident about their fate regarding either qualification or relegation.

Last year there were lots of close run games that had they gone the other way would have changed the complete end picture.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 4102 - 24/03/2026 14:23:26    2662877

Link

Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Waterford were in the final though and not a team from the Bob.The point was about the quality of teams in the MSHC. All 5 have been in a final in the last 6 years."
The teams are certainly better quality on average than the Leinster teams currently, and the last while too. Up to the Leinster counties to get their act together.
That doesn't change the fact that apart from last year its been pretty obvious half way through the Round Robin who was likely to finish in the top 3 in Munster.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18885 - 24/03/2026 14:45:03    2662885

Link

Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Is that really all you can come up with?

The debate is about whether the Bob O Keeffe actually benefitted from the extension of the competition to 6 or whether the real beneficiaries are the 5 teams and in particular those from the 5 most threatened by relegation. Most would say that Offaly are the most likely beneficiary and they did last season. Im not sure they will be that team this season but either way the benefit exists.
We will find out over the next few seasons but I think that we already know that the promoted team are very likely to go down again going forward. That is and was entirely predictable.

As for the munster championship, that is just a political argument that you are making. If relegation was truly merit based then relegation from the Munster Championship would be to the Bob O Keeffe Cup. Thats not Munsters fault. Thats on Leinster. Of course it will never happen nor should it but its the logical path based on merit and strength of competition."
There's no debate over whether the Leinster SHC has benefitted from the expansion to six teams, or whether it has mainly benefitted the teams most likely to finish 5th or 6th.

Viking for one has been quite clear in saying it was known from the start that it would somewhat dilute the competition. I haven't said or suggested anything to the contrary, and I don't think anybody else has.

I'm not sure what exactly you'd like to see as regards the running of the Leinster SHC, but there's not much point in trying to continue a debate that doesn't exist in the first place.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3414 - 24/03/2026 15:00:35    2662891

Link

Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Waterford were in the final though and not a team from the Bob.The point was about the quality of teams in the MSHC. All 5 have been in a final in the last 6 years."
The teams are certainly better quality on average than the Leinster teams currently, and the last while too. Up to the Leinster counties to get their act together.
That doesn't change the fact that apart from last year its been pretty obvious half way through the Round Robin who was likely to finish in the top 3 in Munster.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18885 - 24/03/2026 15:05:48    2662893

Link

Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Cusack park is full pretty much every game. Im not sure what capacity of walsh Park is now but it is under 15k and has varied over the last few years due to redevelopment. I believe its full most games. Thirles holds 45k. I believe Tipp average 25k plus at their games. Im not sure what your point is but you cant argue that attendance is poor in the MSHC. Its the best attended competition in the land."
Im not arguing that it isn't. I only said Waterford dont like the Round Robin format. And some lads in Tipp I know. They'd prefer it to go back to knockout. Waterford voted against it at the start, and havent changed their position since.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18885 - 24/03/2026 15:08:17    2662894

Link

Replying To Viking66:  "Yes for sure. Its up to ourselves and Offaly to upset the favourites this year. We really need to up our games in a big way in general though, our AI droughts are the next 2 longest after Corks, which is a terrible statistic for all of us."
Not sure what relevance Cork have in this discussion? Apologies, must have touched a nerve.

bloodandbandage (Cork) - Posts: 475 - 24/03/2026 15:33:07    2662898

Link

Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Cusack park is full pretty much every game. Im not sure what capacity of walsh Park is now but it is under 15k and has varied over the last few years due to redevelopment. I believe its full most games. Thirles holds 45k. I believe Tipp average 25k plus at their games. Im not sure what your point is but you cant argue that attendance is poor in the MSHC. Its the best attended competition in the land."
100% - I was at the Leinster Hurling Final last year and was really surprised at how poor the attendance was.

bloodandbandage (Cork) - Posts: 475 - 24/03/2026 15:42:42    2662899

Link

Replying To bloodandbandage:  "Not sure what relevance Cork have in this discussion? Apologies, must have touched a nerve."
As you surely intended BnB :-D

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18885 - 24/03/2026 16:38:23    2662911

Link

Waterford might push teams in Munster close on their day but its 3 from 4 to come out of Munster.

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1573 - 24/03/2026 16:39:11    2662912

Link

Replying To bloodandbandage:  "100% - I was at the Leinster Hurling Final last year and was really surprised at how poor the attendance was."
Thats because we werent in it ;-)

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18885 - 24/03/2026 16:50:52    2662913

Link

Replying To Tadhg2020:  "And , as you have pointed out yourself a few times, wexford have been competitive in Bob as have Dublin. Its not reflected in the attendances though.

In relation to Wexford, in particular, I always find that puzzling. You cant sell out an 18k capacity wexford park for your championship fixtures but bring 40k plus to CP any time you are any good. That baffles me. Perhaps if the people got behind the team ye wouldnt slip up so often( as described by you)."
I'll agree with you on this one, and it's a point I've often made myself.

We have a lot of people who consider themselves "great" hurling supporters when what they really mean is that they like a big day out to Croke Park. Even couple of years ago, when we were due to play in one of the All-Ireland quarter-finals in Thurles, people were complaining "they should have them in Croke Park, Thurles won't hold the crowd", and also complaining about how tickets were being sold through clubs, claiming that many wouldn't then be able to get one. But then we didn't even sell our full allocation of 8,000 tickets, and had to send some back.

Or the one that still sticks in my craw was the 2019 Leinster Final. There were various videos doing the rounds on social media of the "great" Wexford support queuing up to get in about 20 minutes before throw-in. Not a single one of these "great" supporters had bothered their behind to go in a couple of hours earlier to see our Minors win their own Leinster Final.

Of course every county has bandwagonners, but we seem to have them in far greater proportion than most. And unfortunately, the bandwagon doesn't get to roll too often.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3414 - 24/03/2026 17:08:32    2662918

Link

Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Apart from Kilkenny there has been no team in Leinster that has been wholly confident about their fate regarding either qualification or relegation.

Last year there were lots of close run games that had they gone the other way would have changed the complete end picture."
Yet oddly enough since the beginning of the round robin Limerick have been more dominant in Munster than Kilkenny in Leinster.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4341 - 24/03/2026 17:50:47    2662929

Link