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McDonagh Cup Link To All-Ireland To Be Removed?

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2 groups of 4 in Leinster might suit best. Group winners into semi finals. 2nd and 3rd into quarter finals. 4th placed into relegation playoff.
Group A: Kilkenny, Wexford, Antrim, Kildare.
Group B: Galway, Dublin, Offaly, Laois.
Round 1 winners should play each other in Round 3 and ideally the top 2 seeds don't play each other in Round 1.
Most likely Kilkenny v Wexford and Galway v Dublin in Round 3 for example will be for the group win. Antrim v Kildare and Offaly v Laois in Round 3 would be for avoiding the relegation playoff and making the quarter finals.
While 3 from 4 hasn't suited football. It might suit Leinster hurling where there is the threat of relegation. The knockout rounds might attract more crowds so could suit Leinster having 3 knockout rounds.
Example quarter finals: Wexford v Offaly and Dublin v Antrim.
Example semi finals: Kilkenny v Dublin or Antrim and Galway v Wexford or Offaly.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8939 - 12/06/2025 10:43:49    2616868

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Am I alone in thinking there's too many tiers in hurling as it is?

Personally think Joe/Ring should merge as well as Nicky/Lory.

Three tiers seems reasonable. Must be tough being at the bottom in the Meagher and seeing so many tiers above you to climb.

trimmer (Meath) - Posts: 545 - 12/06/2025 11:42:13    2616892

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Replying To trimmer:  "Am I alone in thinking there's too many tiers in hurling as it is?

Personally think Joe/Ring should merge as well as Nicky/Lory.

Three tiers seems reasonable. Must be tough being at the bottom in the Meagher and seeing so many tiers above you to climb."
Seeing as those Counties have about 10 clubs between them they're not going to be rising too far.

Seanfanbocht (Roscommon) - Posts: 2410 - 12/06/2025 12:01:41    2616896

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Replying To trimmer:  "Am I alone in thinking there's too many tiers in hurling as it is?

Personally think Joe/Ring should merge as well as Nicky/Lory.

Three tiers seems reasonable. Must be tough being at the bottom in the Meagher and seeing so many tiers above you to climb."
Yes and no. There can a be a quick drop off in standard in hurling. This year's league had every block of 7 evenly balanced. Next year possibly has 8 and 9 in 1A. 6, 7, 15 and 16 in 1B and so on. That might shape if 3 lower tiers of 8 instead of 4 lower tiers of 6 should be considered.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8939 - 12/06/2025 12:26:16    2616905

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Replying To trimmer:  "Am I alone in thinking there's too many tiers in hurling as it is?

Personally think Joe/Ring should merge as well as Nicky/Lory.

Three tiers seems reasonable. Must be tough being at the bottom in the Meagher and seeing so many tiers above you to climb."
Doesn't help either when New York get parachuted in out of nowhere

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2392 - 12/06/2025 13:08:13    2616921

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Replying To trimmer:  "Am I alone in thinking there's too many tiers in hurling as it is?

Personally think Joe/Ring should merge as well as Nicky/Lory.

Three tiers seems reasonable. Must be tough being at the bottom in the Meagher and seeing so many tiers above you to climb."
Yes no need for four tiers. It was be difficult to get enthusiasm to play in that 4th.

Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 3108 - 12/06/2025 14:43:27    2616955

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Replying To Canuck:  "Yes no need for four tiers. It was be difficult to get enthusiasm to play in that 4th."
There are actually five tiers at the moment!

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2948 - 13/06/2025 11:22:40    2617153

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Replying To trimmer:  "Am I alone in thinking there's too many tiers in hurling as it is?

Personally think Joe/Ring should merge as well as Nicky/Lory.

Three tiers seems reasonable. Must be tough being at the bottom in the Meagher and seeing so many tiers above you to climb."
Don't see that there is too many tiers. Doubt counties at bottom tier see it as too many more they see it as more realistic opportunities to be competitive which is a good thing. No?

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3780 - 13/06/2025 11:36:27    2617158

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Replying To trimmer:  "Am I alone in thinking there's too many tiers in hurling as it is?

Personally think Joe/Ring should merge as well as Nicky/Lory.

Three tiers seems reasonable. Must be tough being at the bottom in the Meagher and seeing so many tiers above you to climb."
Any team at the bottom of the Lory Meagher worrying about the tiers above them would be getting way ahead of themselves. Why are they worrying about having to win the tiers above them if they can't win their own tier?

There's no real churn between the tiers in hurling, and definitely no consistent rising through the ranks. This year's Lory Meagher group had 6 teams. All 6 teams were either in the Lory Meagher the year it started in 2009, or the year they started fielding (Lancashire, 2015). Truth is Lory Meagher teams can't hack it at Nicky Rackard level.

Similarly, 4 of this years 6 Nicky Rackard teams were there back in 2006 when it started, and 5 of the 6 teams in this year's Christy Ring were there in 2006 too.

There's a small number of honourable exceptions; Donegal and Tyrone were initially in the Lory Meagher but became consistent Nicky Rackard winners. Sligo were Rackard level before spending a few years down in Lory Meagher and then a few seasons in Christy Ring. They're back in the Rackard now though.

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1685 - 13/06/2025 14:47:42    2617206

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Replying To trimmer:  "Am I alone in thinking there's too many tiers in hurling as it is?

Personally think Joe/Ring should merge as well as Nicky/Lory.

Three tiers seems reasonable. Must be tough being at the bottom in the Meagher and seeing so many tiers above you to climb."
You are alone yes.

The success of both the McDonagh and the Ring cups is teams get good games every week.

Merge them and the gap between the top of McDonagh and mid to bottom of Ring would be huge.

carlovia (None) - Posts: 1541 - 13/06/2025 18:39:31    2617265

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Well, lads. Results today surely speak for themselves.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2948 - 14/06/2025 18:11:32    2617405

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Well, lads. Results today surely speak for themselves."
Agreed 6 days is a joke. Imagine asking Limerick to play 6 days after losing the Munster Final...it wouldn't happen. Gaa don't care about the weaker counties. Treated like 2nd class citizens.

carlo (Carlow) - Posts: 275 - 14/06/2025 19:51:42    2617446

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Replying To carlo:  "Agreed 6 days is a joke. Imagine asking Limerick to play 6 days after losing the Munster Final...it wouldn't happen. Gaa don't care about the weaker counties. Treated like 2nd class citizens."
The preliminaries have had their day. Kildare, Antrim, Laois, Carlow and Westmeath need to focus on lobbying for an expanded Leinster championship if that is what they would prefer.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8939 - 14/06/2025 20:01:16    2617449

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Replying To legendzxix:  "The preliminaries have had their day. Kildare, Antrim, Laois, Carlow and Westmeath need to focus on lobbying for an expanded Leinster championship if that is what they would prefer."
Or for example would Cork or kilkenny be asked to play 6 days after winning their provincial championship??? not in a million years but it's OK to do it to the minnows... give them a little day out & then let them take their hiding & get lost. Outside the top 8 counties in hurling the Gaa don't give a dam.

carlo (Carlow) - Posts: 275 - 14/06/2025 22:17:54    2617533

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Well, lads. Results today surely speak for themselves."
Decent crowds in Newbridge and Portlaoise though.

brianb (Kildare) - Posts: 463 - 14/06/2025 22:55:53    2617558

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Replying To carlo:  "Or for example would Cork or kilkenny be asked to play 6 days after winning their provincial championship??? not in a million years but it's OK to do it to the minnows... give them a little day out & then let them take their hiding & get lost. Outside the top 8 counties in hurling the Gaa don't give a dam."
Genuine question coming up.

Realistically and honestly, how much closer do you think today's matches would have been if Kildare and Laois had a two-week break instead, or even a three-week break?

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2948 - 14/06/2025 23:23:18    2617575

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'If they want the Joe McDonagh Cup teams in, they have to give them time' - Brian Dowling rues Kildare's six-day turnaround.
It is a difficult one. Couple the McDonagh with the Leinster final, only can allow a six day turnaround. The Ring, Rackard and Meagher finals were on a week earlier. If the McDonagh could be 2 groups of 4 with top 2 into semi-finals, 5 rounds instead of 6 makes it smoother to have the final a week earlier. Also home semi finals for group winners for promotion of the game.
Group A: Antrim, Westmeath, London, Kerry.
Group B: Laois, Carlow, Down, Derry.
Semi-finals: Antrim v Carlow and Laois v Westmeath.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8939 - 14/06/2025 23:27:35    2617577

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Replying To legendzxix:  "'If they want the Joe McDonagh Cup teams in, they have to give them time' - Brian Dowling rues Kildare's six-day turnaround.
It is a difficult one. Couple the McDonagh with the Leinster final, only can allow a six day turnaround. The Ring, Rackard and Meagher finals were on a week earlier. If the McDonagh could be 2 groups of 4 with top 2 into semi-finals, 5 rounds instead of 6 makes it smoother to have the final a week earlier. Also home semi finals for group winners for promotion of the game.
Group A: Antrim, Westmeath, London, Kerry.
Group B: Laois, Carlow, Down, Derry.
Semi-finals: Antrim v Carlow and Laois v Westmeath."
The problem I see with this (If the McDonagh could be 2 groups of 4), is that half the teams involved only play 3 games, then their season is over. Unlike the present setup, where every team gets to play at least 5 games.

Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 2842 - 15/06/2025 10:13:48    2617623

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Replying To brianb:  "Decent crowds in Newbridge and Portlaoise though."
There was. Usual few hundred of us Dub hurling supporters less the backsliders who chose Newry. Was only expecting 2/3,000 for hurling but was 80% full at throw in and Kildare got a great reception onto the pitch. Very noticeable the number of children there even in the rain forest downpour so team has obviously been taken to their hearts. A good future beckons.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3589 - 15/06/2025 10:51:12    2617642

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Genuine question coming up.

Realistically and honestly, how much closer do you think today's matches would have been if Kildare and Laois had a two-week break instead, or even a three-week break?"
Exactly right. If Dublin or Tipp needed to win yesterday for score difference purposes they'd have won by 30-40 points. Disappointing that Seamus Callinan didn't call it last night, it's a pointless exercise those games.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2202 - 15/06/2025 11:28:28    2617667

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