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Should All Counties Follow 'Kerry County Football' To Model Their Structures In Both Codes?

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Another great column by Kieran Shannon (Irish Examiner) today: https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport-columnists-gaa/arid-41910925.html omahant (USA) - Posts: 3564 - 15/09/2026 15:26:36 2693919 Link
Replying To omahant: "Another great column by Kieran Shannon (Irish Examiner) today: https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport-columnists-gaa/arid-41910925.html" Not at all. - Simply cut your own cloth to measure. supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 3423 - 16/09/2026 08:54:42 2693957 Link
Replying To omahant: "Another great column by Kieran Shannon (Irish Examiner) today: https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport-columnists-gaa/arid-41910925.html" Can we get an edit button or can a mod fix link so its a hyperlink? What does article say exactly? KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 4012 - 16/09/2026 11:17:53 2693970 Link
Replying To supersub15: "Not at all. - Simply cut your own cloth to measure." Works in Kerry because its long-established. In Cork I hear the Divisional teams didn't work too well this year. Tried to introduce a version of it in Roscommon, ends up with only 1 regional team who get parachuted into a prelim quarter final and get a good batin' there. Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 923 - 16/09/2026 11:20:18 2693972 Link
That 'Kerry model' can work in primarily single-code counties or even in counties with distinct hurling and football areas, and few dual players. Somebody could play for their club in a lower grade one week, for a district team in a higher grade the following week, the back to the club and lower grade the week after that, and so on. But in a county with a large number of dual players who are already playing football one week, hurling the next, football after that etc., and all with their club - where or how do you fit in fixtures for district teams? Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 4041 - 16/09/2026 11:41:12 2693977 Link
Replying To Pikeman96: "That 'Kerry model' can work in primarily single-code counties or even in counties with distinct hurling and football areas, and few dual players. Somebody could play for their club in a lower grade one week, for a district team in a higher grade the following week, the back to the club and lower grade the week after that, and so on. But in a county with a large number of dual players who are already playing football one week, hurling the next, football after that etc., and all with their club - where or how do you fit in fixtures for district teams?" You dont. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20699 - 16/09/2026 12:52:15 2693991 Link
Replying To Viking66: "You dont." Precisely :) Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 4041 - 16/09/2026 14:22:38 2694004 Link
Replying To Pikeman96: "That 'Kerry model' can work in primarily single-code counties or even in counties with distinct hurling and football areas, and few dual players. Somebody could play for their club in a lower grade one week, for a district team in a higher grade the following week, the back to the club and lower grade the week after that, and so on. But in a county with a large number of dual players who are already playing football one week, hurling the next, football after that etc., and all with their club - where or how do you fit in fixtures for district teams?" That's a fair point. Even without dual players, Kerry's Jack O'Connor complains that his inter-county players are overloaded with three championships (club, county & division). To get Jack & Kieran on same page - keep three championships but reduce total potential match count (more easily written than done). omahant (USA) - Posts: 3564 - 16/09/2026 14:30:18 2694005 Link
Replying To Seanfan: "Works in Kerry because its long-established. In Cork I hear the Divisional teams didn't work too well this year. Tried to introduce a version of it in Roscommon, ends up with only 1 regional team who get parachuted into a prelim quarter final and get a good batin' there." What's doable in one county may not be doable in another so perhaps its better to leave well enough alone, supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 3423 - 17/09/2026 08:43:32 2694056 Link
Replying To supersub15: "What's doable in one county may not be doable in another so perhaps its better to leave well enough alone," It was actually done for a while in Wexford back in the 1970s and into the early 80s. Intermediate & Junior clubs in the Wexford, Enniscorthy, Gorey and New Ross districts would band together to field teams in the senior championships. Wexford District even won the Senior Football Championship in 1977. But then when they reached the final again in '78, they refused to play, and the title was awarded to Castletown, who they were due to play there. Have never reliably heard the reason for the refusal. Was once told it was because some players from one club who were due to line out for the District team were away on holidays, but there's much I don't understand about how exactly that might have come about. Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 4041 - 17/09/2026 12:03:58 2694081 Link
Replying To supersub15: "What's doable in one county may not be doable in another so perhaps its better to leave well enough alone," worth trying in a few counties though beyond where it has. Like Tipp should do it more in hurling and football - worked ok for north tipp with divisional football sides for a time but interest dropped off again. you could propably put a few divisional sides in hurling as well with a south divisional side, west diviional side and maybe even a north divisional side considering number of clubs in north of county who arent senior with some of them never likely to go senior KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 4012 - 17/09/2026 15:36:09 2694113 Link
Replying To KillingFields: "worth trying in a few counties though beyond where it has. Like Tipp should do it more in hurling and football - worked ok for north tipp with divisional football sides for a time but interest dropped off again. you could propably put a few divisional sides in hurling as well with a south divisional side, west diviional side and maybe even a north divisional side considering number of clubs in north of county who arent senior with some of them never likely to go senior" A bit complexed don't you think especially for the small / very small, unestablished counties. supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 3423 - 17/09/2026 20:26:42 2694146 Link
Replying To Pikeman96: "It was actually done for a while in Wexford back in the 1970s and into the early 80s. Intermediate & Junior clubs in the Wexford, Enniscorthy, Gorey and New Ross districts would band together to field teams in the senior championships. Wexford District even won the Senior Football Championship in 1977. But then when they reached the final again in '78, they refused to play, and the title was awarded to Castletown, who they were due to play there. Have never reliably heard the reason for the refusal. Was once told it was because some players from one club who were due to line out for the District team were away on holidays, but there's much I don't understand about how exactly that might have come about." I wasn't aware of that Pikeman, so for a few years it did happen over a large enough area, I can only imagine communication must have been difficult enough as with no smart phones in fact phones of any kind were scarce enough, were they not.? Organization must have been a real problem. So, Wexford district refused to defend the title they won in 1977. Surely there was a legit enough reason for their refusal to play the game, so their reason must have been documented at club level and recorded in the minutes of the club meetings that dealt with that issue. In fairness because something like that works effectively in one county (Kerry) doesn't mean it will work effectively well in other counties for historic reasons alone. supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 3423 - 18/09/2026 09:56:30 2694168 Link