Has the time come to revert back to the old system in the NHL? A few games towards the end of Oct/early Dec is preferable to what is happening now. I was in Dungarvan recently for the Waterford v Cork game. It was played on a pitch that looked like the ploughing championship had been held there. This was not the fault of the groundstaff but in Feb/March every year the weather is invariably atrocious. The ref should have called it off. I salute both sides for their endeavour that day but this madness must stop as players stand a huge risk of serious injury. There is no enjoyment for players or spectators in these kinds of conditions.

AwbegRover (Cork) - Posts: 136 - 03/04/2013 16:26:17    1360370

Play matches from October to December? Definitely not.

A) County players need some off-season at some point.
B) The only good thing about the way the GAA treat the club championships is that from October to March club hurlers and footballers get the spotlight, almost exclusively save for a few early League fixtures and Sigerson/Fitzgibbon. It would be a shame to tinker with this.
C) If you think the weather will be better in Autumn/Winter than Spring you're being hugely optimistic (or insane.

I don't see the problem with the current format. It's not perfect but no system is and with this format it means that most of the games across the divisions are fairly competitive.

roundball (Tipperary) - Posts: 2514 - 04/04/2013 17:44:00    1361013

I did not imply playing in Dec. I take it so that you are in favour of hurling being played in conditions like what prevailed in Dungarvan. These types of conditions do nothing for the game, the players or the spectators.

AwbegRover (Cork) - Posts: 136 - 04/04/2013 18:35:42    1361042

AwbegRover
County: Cork
Posts: 43

1361042
I did not imply playing in Dec. I take it so that you are in favour of hurling being played in conditions like what prevailed in Dungarvan. These types of conditions do nothing for the game, the players or the spectators.

We live in Ireland. We can get awful weather at any time of year. We can play all our matches at the height of summer.

roundball (Tipperary) - Posts: 2514 - 04/04/2013 19:00:27    1361053

In both codes, there could be a call for 2-3 games in October/November. You'd still want about 6-7 games in the spring as well. The other option I've thought of is why not have a provincial league in October/November. Consideration first of all is needed for clubs but there could be a place for a few games for fringe players and those having done well in county championships to make an impression.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8897 - 04/04/2013 20:09:33    1361111

http://www.independent.ie/sport/hurling/duffy-bites-back-at-managers-criticism-of-hurling-league-format-29173314.html

According to Padraic Duffy in the article above, counties have only themselves to blame if they are not happy with the current hurling league structure.

"It's the counties' call. The format is decided on by Central Council where all counties are represented," said Duffy. "Every proposal is given to the counties in good time to consider them. It's up to every county to sound out opinion and delegate their Central Council to vote accordingly.

"Croke Park, or any committee, don't make rules or set competition structures. We go by what's decided on by Central Council."

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8897 - 07/04/2013 13:05:33    1362222

Hurling in February & March is a disaster. Playing games in soft pitches, bad weather and poor crowds does nothing to promote the GAA.

Why not concentrate games during May to September when piches are better and no competition from soccer or rugby? League & provincials should be done away as it stands (in both hurling & football) and have a proper All-Ireland base on league and could have knock-out from 1/4 finals on if they wanted.

Obviously not going to happen though...

county man (Limerick) - Posts: 1145 - 07/04/2013 13:44:18    1362231

county man
County: Limerick
Why not concentrate games during May to September when piches are better and no competition from soccer or rugby? League & provincials should be done away as it stands (in both hurling & football) and have a proper All-Ireland base on league and could have knock-out from 1/4 finals on if they wanted.

Obviously not going to happen though...

I think that'd ultimately be the best system to have, and I'd imagine alot of other people would feel the same. Its a pity it would take a mindshift of seismic proportions before something like that would even be considered by the powers that be

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 07/04/2013 17:19:35    1362338

My preference has always been a for a seeded league based on the previous years championship. The AI champs would be in 1a, the AI finalists in 1b. One of the semi finalists in 1a, the other in 1b. Both divisions should have 7 teams. There would be a one up, one down system of relegation/promotion. I think it's vital for the likes of antrim and carlow to keep playing competitive games instead of hammering the londons and derrys. Ok, so maybe sometimes there would be a hammering but i'd rather see carlow losing to KK by 15 points than beating a weak team by 10.

Here's an example of what the tables would look like.
1A 1B
KK Galway
Tipp Cork
Limerick Dublin
Clare Waterford
Offaly Wexford
Carlow Antrim
Westmeath Laois

Six games each. Top team from each division plays a league final. Last teams both play a playoff to see who is relegated.

hurlinspuds (Cork) - Posts: 1494 - 07/04/2013 19:07:59    1362505

top 2 divisions should be 8 each, then 3 divisions of 6 team( if cavan come back 2 divisions of 6 and 1 of 7).
2 relegated in div 1,2 promoted from div 2, 1 down from div 2, and then 1 up and 1 down in other divisions.

kerryluck (Kerry) - Posts: 2517 - 08/04/2013 19:41:07    1363519

The turkeys vote for Christmas if Padraic Duffy's comments are anything to go by!

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8897 - 08/04/2013 20:45:13    1363577

I don't suppose there's any system that would make everyone happy.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 08/04/2013 21:31:37    1363640

Counties in the football league seem able to get on with it. Meath were relegated to division 3 last year, they did not come out asking for change to league format. Donegal the All-Ireland champions are not asking for change following their relegation yesterday. Hurling should be able to go back to divisions of 8 with 2 up and 2 down. Leave it at that and stop the cribbing upon relegation to a lower division.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8897 - 08/04/2013 21:37:51    1363655

08/04/2013 21:37:51
legendzxix
Counties in the football league seem able to get on with it. Meath were relegated to division 3 last year, they did not come out asking for change to league format. Donegal the All-Ireland champions are not asking for change following their relegation yesterday. Hurling should be able to go back to divisions of 8 with 2 up and 2 down. Leave it at that and stop the cribbing upon relegation to a lower division.
Hurling is different. standards between team 8 and team 16 is very different in hurling to football. No hurling should not go back to 2 up 2 down in divisions of 8.

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 08/04/2013 21:46:11    1363672

Don't forget the Fingal V Monaghan hurling league final was never played. That would never happen with football so you can't compare them.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 09/04/2013 11:58:49    1363894

ormondbannerman
County: Clare
Posts: 4270

1363672
08/04/2013 21:37:51
legendzxix
Counties in the football league seem able to get on with it. Meath were relegated to division 3 last year, they did not come out asking for change to league format. Donegal the All-Ireland champions are not asking for change following their relegation yesterday. Hurling should be able to go back to divisions of 8 with 2 up and 2 down. Leave it at that and stop the cribbing upon relegation to a lower division.
Hurling is different. standards between team 8 and team 16 is very different in hurling to football. No hurling should not go back to 2 up 2 down in divisions of 8.

The current setup is not exactly helping the weaker counties

kerryluck (Kerry) - Posts: 2517 - 09/04/2013 12:23:15    1363925

At the moment with regards to my own county, the Táin Ulster & Connaught leagues are played on the weekends there's no National Hurling League fixtures. With the withdrawal of Cavan & South Down there's only 4 teams in 3B so it's important to develop the clubs.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 09/04/2013 13:16:33    1363982

Proposal for the new hurling league

Division 1

Kilkenny on their own

Division 2

Tipperary
Galway

Division 3

Cork
Waterford
Clare
Limerick
Dublin

Division 4

Offaly
Wexford

The other counties should give up and concentrate on football.

I am being flippant obviously but ultimately the GAA brought in a system (the backdoor)a few years ago with the SOLE intention of helping weaker sides (it was introduced in hurling first). The net result however is that the stronger teams have become much stronger and the GAA simply make irrelevant changes that do absolutely NOTHING to enhance competitiveness of the sport. My suggestion is ridiculous obviously but it is anymore ridiculous than the suggested changes for the next few years.

This year's national league has been painful to watch. A second string Kilkenny side have casually reached the final and will canter to victory. The championship will be identical.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 09/04/2013 16:37:46    1364208

bennybunny
County: Cork
Posts: 1638

1364208
Proposal for the new hurling league

Division 1

Kilkenny on their own

Division 2

Tipperary
Galway

Division 3

Cork
Waterford
Clare
Limerick
Dublin

Division 4

Offaly
Wexford

The other counties should give up and concentrate on football.

I am being flippant obviously but ultimately the GAA brought in a system (the backdoor)a few years ago with the SOLE intention of helping weaker sides (it was introduced in hurling first). The net result however is that the stronger teams have become much stronger and the GAA simply make irrelevant changes that do absolutely NOTHING to enhance competitiveness of the sport. My suggestion is ridiculous obviously but it is anymore ridiculous than the suggested changes for the next few years.

This year's national league has been painful to watch. A second string Kilkenny side have casually reached the final and will canter to victory. The championship will be identical.

In that case cork might as well give up football and concentrate on hurling

kerryluck (Kerry) - Posts: 2517 - 09/04/2013 16:48:53    1364215

bennybunny
County: Cork
This year's national league has been painful to watch. A second string Kilkenny side have casually reached the final and will canter to victory. The championship will be identical.

I agree with you about how the GAA have made a joke of the championship, and not helped weaker counties. But that sounds like a very different league from the one I watched. 1a was on a knife-edge until the last day. Yes, Kilkenny had alot of injuries, but their path to the final was far from casual. And most teams had withdrawals of some kind, we had injuries in Tipp, Galway and Offaly were missing the St Thomas and Kilcormac-Killoughey players, etc.

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 09/04/2013 16:55:16    1364219