Champions league format- 32 teams in 8 groups of four-seeded with one from each league division-keeps the league competitive. Play home and away with top 2 going for Sam and the bottom 2 going for the Tommy Murphy cup in straight knock out. Every team gets at least 7 games in championship.
Play every week from the begining of May with knock outs starting in July, Could be finished by end of August. End of the Dual player though.

dufferman (Down) - Posts: 157 - 04/06/2012 16:13:29    1186712

Lack of forward thinking by most in here like the GAA as a whole, which is a pitty.

There are a few surprises, every so often, big bloody deal.

That is not the argument for changing the system.

The top teams in the country should be competing against one another , the games we have up to the qf stage are near a waste of time. Its a ridiculous format.

It would mean more top games, more revenue, bigger crowds, more quality, evryone would still have a chance because of a relegation/promotion system, (two up/two down).

Weaker counties would benefit, the profile of the second tier comp should be promoted as of great importance, unlike the tm cup.

To imagine a first rd of games on a sat evening, including, Kerry,Cork,Tyrone, Dublin, Kildare, Meath, Mayo and Galway , it would be fantastic, the games would be of a lot more interest to the likes of Dub v Louth or Mayo v Leitrim, it is complete waste of good potential the way it is at present.

51longago (Mayo) - Posts: 2981 - 04/06/2012 16:32:07    1186728

After every heavy defeat this type of nonsense about changing the championship format appears. I could name loads of teams that have suffered heavy defeats including our own county but you get on with & make sure you are better in the next game or the next year.

I think some are watching too much soccer & want our great game to become more like the champions league but why fix something that isn't broke?

The_analyser (Roscommon) - Posts: 4125 - 04/06/2012 18:04:03    1186809

@bosco

two days il never forget sadly, in fairness meath won the allireland in 96 and gave laois a good beating the next day out, 08 was without doubt our worst ever showing, but demoting teams like us to a secondary comp, im not sure that will improve us either. kildare pre 08 were outside the top half in the country they are now anywhere between 4th and 8th, it can be done. i don't think supporters would buy into a christy ring style comp most importantly i don't tink players would, remember the tommy murphy

Barrowsider (Carlow) - Posts: 1711 - 04/06/2012 18:17:57    1186820

I agree Barrowsider, condemning teams to a secondary competition is like saying that they are inferior and have no chance of ever playing at the top level. Look at the progress that a small county like Longford have made over the last few years.

lilywhite1 (Kildare) - Posts: 3049 - 04/06/2012 18:40:38    1186830

"Look at the progress that a small county like Longford have made over the last few years."

Exactly. In 2005 Longford were beaten by 20pts by Dublin now they are one of the most improved sides in Ireland.

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3724 - 04/06/2012 18:49:16    1186832

Weaker counties posters seem very opposed to the idea, that is to be expected, reality can be hard to deal with sometimes.

To the rossie who strongly objects, did getting hammered by Galway, benefit ye in anyway? From what im hearing, its having a knock on effect.

51longago (Mayo) - Posts: 2981 - 04/06/2012 18:51:26    1186833

yeah longford are a prime example that it can be done, wexford too, ten years ago wexford were mere cannon fodder

Barrowsider (Carlow) - Posts: 1711 - 04/06/2012 19:23:27    1186854

1) Start with 24 in the Provs - Lein 8, Uls 8 and Munsacht 8 (2x4); remaining 8 to Qual 1st Rd (based on recent low league placing, w/prel qual rd to reduce to 8, if necessary)
2) Format unfolds quite well - Phase 1= 24+8; P2=12+16; P3= 6+14; P4= 3byes+10; P5= AI QFs etc

omahant (USA) - Posts: 3322 - 04/06/2012 19:42:23    1186866

I am 100% opposed to any change to the traditional Provincial championships and All Ireland as we know it.
However, i would not be opposed to a shake up of the Qualifiers.

I would like a qualifier system that keeps provincial teams apart after they are knocked out of their respective provinces, for at least the first 2 or 3 rounds.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3026 - 04/06/2012 19:42:37    1186867

04/06/2012 18:51:26
51longago
County: Mayo
Posts: 1454

1186833
To the rossie who strongly objects, did getting hammered by Galway, benefit ye in anyway? From what im hearing, its having a knock on effect.

_______
First off don't believe everything you hear. The beauty of our great game is you wait and see we might see improvement in the next game or maybe next year. For the outsider looking in it's understandable that one can't see beyond our 14 point defeat but i'm in no doubt with talent coming through we'll be in better shape in the years ahead.

The_analyser (Roscommon) - Posts: 4125 - 04/06/2012 19:52:27    1186874

Define weaker counties?

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3724 - 04/06/2012 19:55:52    1186881

Longford have come on great under Glen Ryan but they will most likely be bet by wexford this weekend who in
turn will probably be beaten by the Dubs. Its a case of same s*** different year.

atta (Meath) - Posts: 710 - 04/06/2012 19:56:56    1186883

With regards to the champions league style format what are people's opinions on how many games should be played? You could play everyone home or away or just once. Playing each team in the group once would mean an uneven amount of home/away games but the six nations etc have the same setup

dsg1989 (UK) - Posts: 2 - 04/06/2012 20:02:25    1186889

Instead of changing the championship format..I think the best thing to do is make the league more competitive for the weaker counties...instead of league format we have now only benfits the stronger counties!



If we have three group system..10 games to be played...4 games played like the old winter league structure and then 7 played from februry to the early april like the system we have now!





Group A Group B Group C

Tyrone Cork Dublin
Kerry Kildare Mayo
Down Laois Donegal
Galway Armagh Meath
Derry Monaghan Wexford
Longford Louth Westmeath
Roscommon Sligo Cavan
Fermanagh Wicklow Tipperary
Antrim Offaly Limerick
Leitrim Clare Waterford
Carlow London Kilkenny


The three Group winners and runner ups qualify to the league quaterfinals....and two best placed third teams in the groups get the last to quaterfinals spots e.g Down 13 pt Laois 12 Pt Donegal 14 points (Down and Donegal qualify to the league quaterfinals)



Look the top teams will more than likely come out on top,but what it has done is gave the likes of wicklow ,Tipperary and Offaly to play more competitive and better teams,what did Fermanagh and wicklow learn from beating kilkenny and london and would they learn anything from getting beaten from Cork ,Kildare and Dublin?

What it might do is get them more prepared for championship and know what to expect!

WhyTheLongFace (Meath) - Posts: 948 - 04/06/2012 20:08:02    1186896

You could only play one game vrs each team in your group, there are club matches to be considered, also the crowds wont show up for the early games

atta (Meath) - Posts: 710 - 04/06/2012 20:08:03    1186897

The_analyser
County: Roscommon
Sorry but you're not living in the real world, the defeat has deflated Ross, we'll see how they line out the next day. ahem

51longago (Mayo) - Posts: 2981 - 04/06/2012 20:27:37    1186917

Lads, you mention Longfords progress and more power to them by the way, they are an example to my own county but Dublin would again beat them by 20pts or more if they met. They have no hope of winning a Leinster, same as Carlow. Wexford and Kildare are big Gaa counties with lots and lots of clubs so the comparison is not valid.
I've no crystal ball but I find it implausible to believe that Carlow or Longford will ever win Leinster. Furthermore I can't see Offaly or Louth or Westmeath or Wicklow or Laois or anyone outside of the big 3 winning it for donkeys years so at least one or two generations of players have no hope of winning.
Bar you're from Cork or Kerry in Munster forget about it also. Sligo or Leitrim will contest a final in Connacht because of how small the province is but will win only once in a blue moon and similarly I would not expect them to win a Leinster anytime soon if ever.
If you think Longford are an example of a success story then you are basing that on league only which proves my point actually that it's a better competition than the outdated championship, as I said no harm to them and coming from Carlow I'm in no position to criticize but they will never win an All Ireland and most likely never repeat their one and only win in 1968. There has to be a better way of doing it.

Bosco (Carlow) - Posts: 664 - 04/06/2012 20:28:35    1186921

Instead of changing the championship format..I think the best thing to do is make the league more competitive for the weaker counties...instead of league format we have now only benfits the stronger counties!



If we have three group system..10 games to be played...4 games played like the old winter league structure and then 7 played from februry to the early april like the system we have now!





Group A

Tyrone
Kerry
Down
Galway
Derry
Longford
Roscommon
Fermanagh
Antrim
Leitrim
Carlow


Group B

Cork
Kildare
Laois
Armagh
Monaghan
Louth
Sligo
Wicklow
Offaly
Clare
london


Group C

Dublin
Mayo
Donegal
Meath
Wexford
Westmeath
Cavan
Tipperary
Limerick
Waterford
Kilkenny

The three Group winners and runner ups qualify to the league quaterfinals....and two best placed third teams in the groups get the last to quaterfinals spots e.g Down 13 pt Laois 12 Pt Donegal 14 points (Down and Donegal qualify to the league quaterfinals)



Look the top teams will more than likely come out on top,but what it has done is gave the likes of wicklow ,Tipperary and Offaly to play more competitive and better teams,what did Fermanagh and wicklow learn from beating kilkenny and london and would they learn anything from getting beaten from Cork ,Kildare and Dublin?

What it might do is get them more prepared for championship and know what to expect!


(had to write my last post out again...the group stages i did in my last post looks like a mad women was just after hitting her own sh!t with a shovel)

WhyTheLongFace (Meath) - Posts: 948 - 04/06/2012 20:35:50    1186932

Your groups make no sense in the amended version either. The league should be the championship, end of story, just prioritse it. Simple.

Bosco (Carlow) - Posts: 664 - 04/06/2012 20:46:34    1186949