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Antrim - retained Division 1 status. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7841 - 05/04/2022 12:11:30 2409729 Link 1 |
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Yes, this is always an interesting competition with little between the teams. Should get more coverage.
keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 05/04/2022 14:41:16 2409777 Link 0 |
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Would like to see Leinster going back to 5 teams to bring the level of Joe Mac back up a notch. tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 05/04/2022 15:50:00 2409805 Link 0 |
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The hurling populations of the McDonagh counties: Antrim - 2040-4380 Offaly - 2040-4380 Down - 2040-4380 Kerry - 2040-4380 Carlow - 2040-4380 Meath - 5060-9980 It's a great competition alright but expectations might be unrealistic for the coverage expected. Antrim and Offaly to be fair are the most likely to bring big support if they are going well. Local media are generally good at the coverage they offer. There currently isn't a connect with a broader support base within all the counties involved. If the McDonagh finalists can get full houses for the preliminary quarter-final, it can be the platform to raise the profile of the competition. That's not going to be an overnight success. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7841 - 05/04/2022 15:54:22 2409807 Link 0 |
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Think Meath and Kildare have similar hurling populations to Wexford, Clare, Limerick and Waterford? And higher than Laois and Westmeath? Have you the rest of the counties figures Legendzxix? Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11841 - 05/04/2022 16:03:39 2409810 Link 0 |
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The Joe Mac has to be promoted better both by the County Boards involved and at Central Council level if hurling is going to be grown outside the traditional counties. Not only to develop the game in the counties involved but also as a carrot to incentivise the Christy Ring counties etc. Maybe prize money for the winning countys county boards to invest in hurling initiatives, paid promotional holidays for the winning teams players, compulsory tv coverage negotiated into the tv rights with Sky, RTE and tg4, more double headers with Liam McCarthy games etc. The more people see alot of it then the more alot of people will want to see it. It is by far and away the most exciting team sport to watch in the world after all. And the bigger its profile the more top sportspeople in the Joe Mac, Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard and Lory Meagher counties will want to play it.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11841 - 05/04/2022 16:12:59 2409812 Link 0 |
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The Joe Mac has to be promoted better both by the County Boards involved and at Central Council level if hurling is going to be grown outside the traditional counties. Not only to develop the game in the counties involved but also as a carrot to incentivise the Christy Ring counties etc. Maybe prize money for the winning countys county boards to invest in hurling initiatives, paid promotional holidays for the winning teams players, compulsory tv coverage negotiated into the tv rights with Sky, RTE and tg4, more double headers with Liam McCarthy games etc. The more people see alot of it then the more alot of people will want to see it. It is by far and away the most exciting team sport to watch in the world after all. And the bigger its profile the more top sportspeople in the Joe Mac, Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard and Lory Meagher counties will want to play it.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11841 - 05/04/2022 16:14:59 2409814 Link 0 |
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Joe Mcdonagh is a great competition and is driving the level of hurling up in the counties involved and deserves much better coverage.
jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1456 - 05/04/2022 16:45:21 2409826 Link 1 |
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A strong team has been taken from the McDonagh alright. Ideally the GAA didn't want to but it was probably the right call. Hurling populations link Meath and Kildare have a sizeable hurling population. Both are consistently outside the Top 16 however. Antrim and Offaly are best placed to bring good crowds based on tradition. There's no doubting the quality and competitiveness of the McDonagh Cup. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7841 - 05/04/2022 17:50:28 2409844 Link 0 |
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Fair play to ya and spot on ,all this talk about tailteann cup needs coverage but look wat happened wen laois bet dublin few years ago in premilmiray quaters in hurling ,the whole country got behind them wen they got coverage
Timmy86 (Sligo) - Posts: 270 - 05/04/2022 22:01:32 2409875 Link 0 |
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Laois had a full house for Dublin's visit. That's the publicity the McDonagh Cup needs. The Leinster Championship then is expanded though. The McDonagh drops a bit in standard. It'll be interesting to see what support Antrim and Offaly bring this year.
legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7841 - 06/04/2022 10:16:24 2409908 Link 0 |
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Kildare will win the MacDonagh cup in the next 5 years. They have the population to improve and they are competing well at minor and U20 in the last few years. As for the MacDonagh cup it looks like Antrim are favourites but i wouldnt rule out any of the teams. Its a great competition with 5 competitive matches for each team. A lot always depends on Home and away draws. Id give Carlow a fair chance of making the final if we get James Doyle back playing. carlovia (None) - Posts: 1517 - 06/04/2022 10:38:49 2409912 Link 0 |
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Carlow are currently dangerous dark horses. Antrim and Offaly are in the spotlight. Down and Kerry are the challengers based on league form. Championship is a different beast as we all know. Down's visit to Tralee will tell a lot for both. I saw the Naas and Kilmoyley Intermediate Final. Naas were very impressive and worthy winners. It was clear from the first half that the better quality. A bit like Westmeath in the McDonagh final last year. Naas wouldn't be out of place in many Senior Championships of many of their much vaunted near neighbours. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7841 - 06/04/2022 10:59:12 2409917 Link 0 |
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Carlow are currently dangerous dark horses. Antrim and Offaly are in the spotlight. Down and Kerry are the challengers based on league form. Championship is a different beast as we all know. Down's visit to Tralee will tell a lot for both. I saw the Naas and Kilmoyley Intermediate Final. Naas were very impressive and worthy winners. It was clear from the first half that the better quality. A bit like Westmeath in the McDonagh final last year. Naas wouldn't be out of place in many Senior Championships of many of their much vaunted near neighbours."]Yeah but Naas are far and away the most powerful club in kildare, they won the junior, intermediate and senior, minor titles all in one year two years ago, alot of the other clubs are kinda struggling even the traditional ones, aging, small numbers etc. Maynooth possibly could be a next strong club in kildare in the coming years. Last year with the kildare u20s and minor could have been just a one off. offaly bet kildare easily in the minor already this year, one super club which undoubtedly naas is won't make a county team be ultra competitive, I think kildare have a bit to go preddan (Kildare) - Posts: 735 - 06/04/2022 13:02:35 2409953 Link 0 |
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Carlow are currently dangerous dark horses. Antrim and Offaly are in the spotlight. Down and Kerry are the challengers based on league form. Championship is a different beast as we all know. Down's visit to Tralee will tell a lot for both. I saw the Naas and Kilmoyley Intermediate Final. Naas were very impressive and worthy winners. It was clear from the first half that the better quality. A bit like Westmeath in the McDonagh final last year. Naas wouldn't be out of place in many Senior Championships of many of their much vaunted near neighbours."]A friend from there was down during the week pucking a ball around with the boys. He played hurling since he was their age. He went to all their games in the Leinster and All Ireland run and reckoned Kilmoyley looked very good. He also reckoned Oylegate looked like a senior team. Which I suppose they are now. Probably all of the top Intermediate teams including Naas and Kilmoyley would be around senior club standard in any county. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11841 - 06/04/2022 13:21:08 2409964 Link 0 |
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Carlow are currently dangerous dark horses. Antrim and Offaly are in the spotlight. Down and Kerry are the challengers based on league form. Championship is a different beast as we all know. Down's visit to Tralee will tell a lot for both. I saw the Naas and Kilmoyley Intermediate Final. Naas were very impressive and worthy winners. It was clear from the first half that the better quality. A bit like Westmeath in the McDonagh final last year. Naas wouldn't be out of place in many Senior Championships of many of their much vaunted near neighbours."]Yeah but Naas are far and away the most powerful club in kildare, they won the junior, intermediate and senior, minor titles all in one year two years ago, alot of the other clubs are kinda struggling even the traditional ones, aging, small numbers etc. Maynooth possibly could be a next strong club in kildare in the coming years. Last year with the kildare u20s and minor could have been just a one off. offaly bet kildare easily in the minor already this year, one super club which undoubtedly naas is won't make a county team be ultra competitive, I think kildare have a bit to go"]Of course they do. But when you have the playing numbers Kildare have you have the blocks and wood to build the house. You just need the right builders now to put it together. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11841 - 06/04/2022 13:23:18 2409966 Link 0 |
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preddan, thanks for that detail. Kerry already has a strong pocket of hurling north of Tralee. Tralee Parnells are up and coming. Hopefully Tralee Parnells will complement North Kerry hurling without the Naas like super club dominance. The tradition in north Kerry should keep it competitive. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7841 - 06/04/2022 13:25:03 2409967 Link 0 |
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Viking66, Kilmoyley are good alright. Winning the Munster Intermediate was a massive achievement. I was well impressed with Naas. They should be competing at a higher level. Kildare for their resources are underachieving. The structure doesn't help though. Derry and Kildare arguably are unlucky not to be a part of an expanded McDonagh. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7841 - 06/04/2022 14:47:07 2409984 Link 0 |
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Carlow are currently dangerous dark horses. Antrim and Offaly are in the spotlight. Down and Kerry are the challengers based on league form. Championship is a different beast as we all know. Down's visit to Tralee will tell a lot for both. I saw the Naas and Kilmoyley Intermediate Final. Naas were very impressive and worthy winners. It was clear from the first half that the better quality. A bit like Westmeath in the McDonagh final last year. Naas wouldn't be out of place in many Senior Championships of many of their much vaunted near neighbours."]Yeah but Naas are far and away the most powerful club in kildare, they won the junior, intermediate and senior, minor titles all in one year two years ago, alot of the other clubs are kinda struggling even the traditional ones, aging, small numbers etc. Maynooth possibly could be a next strong club in kildare in the coming years. Last year with the kildare u20s and minor could have been just a one off. offaly bet kildare easily in the minor already this year, one super club which undoubtedly naas is won't make a county team be ultra competitive, I think kildare have a bit to go"]Yeah I think you're right. I live in Kildare but am not involved in the Kildare hurling scene except to go to the occasional match but I cannot see Kildare being competitive at Joe McDonagh level any time soon. I am amazed at the claim made earlier that Kildare have a similar hurling population to Wexford, Clare, Limerick, and Waterford. I would doubt this very much unless social hurling and having a puck about in a field is being included. From what I see the vast majority of the population have little interest in hurling at all. Naas are the standard bearers and they have the structures in place to remain strong but you would need 2 or 3 more clubs to replicate what they have achieved and are achieving if the county team is to make progress. I saw Kildare's Div 2A league game vs Carlow and even though they drew the game despite doing nearly everything they could to lose it, I thought they looked more like a Div 2B team on the day. I can see them doing yo-yo between 2B and 2A for a few more years yet. PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1903 - 07/04/2022 13:42:02 2410140 Link 1 |
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Carlow are currently dangerous dark horses. Antrim and Offaly are in the spotlight. Down and Kerry are the challengers based on league form. Championship is a different beast as we all know. Down's visit to Tralee will tell a lot for both. I saw the Naas and Kilmoyley Intermediate Final. Naas were very impressive and worthy winners. It was clear from the first half that the better quality. A bit like Westmeath in the McDonagh final last year. Naas wouldn't be out of place in many Senior Championships of many of their much vaunted near neighbours."]Yeah but Naas are far and away the most powerful club in kildare, they won the junior, intermediate and senior, minor titles all in one year two years ago, alot of the other clubs are kinda struggling even the traditional ones, aging, small numbers etc. Maynooth possibly could be a next strong club in kildare in the coming years. Last year with the kildare u20s and minor could have been just a one off. offaly bet kildare easily in the minor already this year, one super club which undoubtedly naas is won't make a county team be ultra competitive, I think kildare have a bit to go"]Yeah I think you're right. I live in Kildare but am not involved in the Kildare hurling scene except to go to the occasional match but I cannot see Kildare being competitive at Joe McDonagh level any time soon. I am amazed at the claim made earlier that Kildare have a similar hurling population to Wexford, Clare, Limerick, and Waterford. I would doubt this very much unless social hurling and having a puck about in a field is being included. From what I see the vast majority of the population have little interest in hurling at all. Naas are the standard bearers and they have the structures in place to remain strong but you would need 2 or 3 more clubs to replicate what they have achieved and are achieving if the county team is to make progress. I saw Kildare's Div 2A league game vs Carlow and even though they drew the game despite doing nearly everything they could to lose it, I thought they looked more like a Div 2B team on the day. I can see them doing yo-yo between 2B and 2A for a few more years yet."]That's from the figures of lads playing club hurling given in an RTE article. I'm not sure how they would be able to quantify social hurling or lads pucking a ball around in a field. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11841 - 07/04/2022 13:46:20 2410141 Link 1 |