National Forum

Football Format Changes Discussion

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Replying To legendzxix:  "Hmmm. Provincial finalists have home advantage and avoid each other in Round 1. Would it just be an extra reward for provincial winners that they would have home advantage and avoid each other in Round 2. It's not a major restriction like. Just looking to offer some reasonable carrot for actually winning the finals."
Why don't you just guarantee Kerry a place in AI semifinal each year, never mind all the hassle of playing too many teams? Let Cork start at qfinal stage, and tell everyone about the great munster championship performances, to get there. How Waterford "pushed us to the pin of our collars" etc, etc.

Expertinall (UK) - Posts: 136 - 04/06/2026 18:38:48    2677965

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Replying To legendzxix:  "Hmmm. Provincial finalists have home advantage and avoid each other in Round 1. Would it just be an extra reward for provincial winners that they would have home advantage and avoid each other in Round 2. It's not a major restriction like. Just looking to offer some reasonable carrot for actually winning the finals."
I don't love the fully open draw, I'd rather do a draw for all at the start so each team knows their path to QF depending on whether they end up in R2A or B. But the biggest selling point of open draw is that any team can get any other if they haven't played before, throws up loads of new pairings like Louth Armagh! And when is the last time Kerry played Kildare in championship. So I don't like restricting the R2 draws that depending on which teams win there could only be 1 valid draw.

systematic (Galway) - Posts: 311 - 04/06/2026 18:55:23    2677969

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Replying To Expertinall:  "Why don't you just guarantee Kerry a place in AI semifinal each year, never mind all the hassle of playing too many teams? Let Cork start at qfinal stage, and tell everyone about the great munster championship performances, to get there. How Waterford "pushed us to the pin of our collars" etc, etc."
There you go again. Your hatred of Kerry and everything munster clouds your logic and judgement. It basically means that your opinion is prejudiced and that makes it invalid.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 536 - 04/06/2026 21:14:42    2677993

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Replying To tirawleybaron:  "Provincial winners should be seeded in Round 1
Provincial finalist should just get entry to Sam Maguire

League Div 1 winners should be seeded also
Previous years all ireland champs should be seeded if not one of the above

Round 1 can be a semi open draw

1 pot with 4/5/6 names, the other pot with the rest

Draw from POt 1 - and slot them in for a home draw
then draw from pot 2 to get their oponent
When you run out of teams in Pot 1, just keep drawing from pot 2, with first name out for each tie - getting home advantage.

Keeps the provincial link - rewards provincial, league and All ireland winners.

Winning a provincial is hard - getting to a final is dependent on the luck of the draw so shouldn't get the same reward."
Im not totally against provincial finalists not being seeded but 4 pots of seeds 1 to 4 with 2 playing 3 does mean that the runners up do get a much harder draw.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 536 - 04/06/2026 21:17:27    2677994

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Replying To Whammo86:  "In the previous system if Donegal were knocked out of the Provincials at the round they were then they'd enter in qualifier round 1. Now Provincial and league performance is factored in, so the Provincials influence is diluted."
But they do get home venue to compensate so not so much diluted as you seem to want to claim.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 536 - 04/06/2026 21:18:52    2677995

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Replying To legendzxix:  "Hmmm. Provincial finalists have home advantage and avoid each other in Round 1. Would it just be an extra reward for provincial winners that they would have home advantage and avoid each other in Round 2. It's not a major restriction like. Just looking to offer some reasonable carrot for actually winning the finals."
Getting to a Provincial final should have nothing to do with whether you get a home draw or not, not all Provinces are on an equal starting point. Kerry and Cork have 100% chance of making Munster fin, Mayo, Galway and Roscommon have 2 in 3 chance and Leinster and Ulster have a lottery.

Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2721 - 04/06/2026 21:40:49    2677999

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Replying To tirawleybaron:  "Provincial winners should be seeded in Round 1
Provincial finalist should just get entry to Sam Maguire

League Div 1 winners should be seeded also
Previous years all ireland champs should be seeded if not one of the above

Round 1 can be a semi open draw

1 pot with 4/5/6 names, the other pot with the rest

Draw from POt 1 - and slot them in for a home draw
then draw from pot 2 to get their oponent
When you run out of teams in Pot 1, just keep drawing from pot 2, with first name out for each tie - getting home advantage.

Keeps the provincial link - rewards provincial, league and All ireland winners.

Winning a provincial is hard - getting to a final is dependent on the luck of the draw so shouldn't get the same reward."
Yes, winning Munster is a real slog.

JimB1991 (Donegal) - Posts: 189 - 04/06/2026 23:16:45    2678014

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