Seriously we keeping harping on about how bad Leinster hurling is now and how it's dipped and I agree but to be honest Leinster Football is probably in a worse condition. Seriously there is nobody even close to Dublin over the past decade or so. Despite a few blips here and there is't basically a disaster. Meath are gone back, Kildare have dipped again, Laois aren't as good as they were and to be fair really Dublin and Meath have only been competitive past Leinster over the last 30 years.
At least in Munster you have Cork and Kerry (and they have a lot less counties). Con has Galway and Mayo with Roscommon on the way up. Unfortunately Sligo have gone back a little.
Ulster well Ulster is the only what I would call competitive province. However considering Leinster has 12 (well 11 really) counties it's a terrible distribution of Leinsters and All-Ireland across those counties. I would say most of the counties bar Dublin have gone backwards in the past 5 years, Longford, Wexford (probably the worst drop), Louth, Westmeath (have already mentioned the others) have all seen better days and even at that were no great shakes anyway. So what's the solution?

Nick (Wexford) - Posts: 1100 - 10/05/2015 11:28:41    1721941

Nick, There are already threads about this. Why are you creating another one FFS man!

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13655 - 10/05/2015 11:45:22    1721954

The solution is blindingly obvious but the gaa don't want it.
Its called the open draw.

Dubh_linn (Dublin) - Posts: 2313 - 10/05/2015 12:05:18    1721955

Leinster football will be saved this year. Louth will win it. Ah if only Carlsberg did Leinster Championships.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 10/05/2015 12:11:33    1721958

Dubh_linn
County: Dublin
Posts: 206

1721955
The solution is blindingly obvious but the gaa don't want it.
Its called the open draw.


As in open draw within Leinster or as in scrap the provincials?


I do think bringing Dublin out of Croker would freshen things up. They'd still beat everyone and I think that'll be the way regardless for at least the next 3 years.
The Leinster council will never go for scrapping the provincials, nor would the other provincial councils and I think you'd find that if it went to vote, most counties would vote against the idea too. For too many, it represents the only realistic chance of success.

Right now, Leinster is uncompetitive, but it was the same in the 70s until Offaly came along. These things are cyclic and sooner or later, a team will come along and challenge on a regular basis. It's not that long ago, Dublin beat Kildare by a point.

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5296 - 10/05/2015 12:18:55    1721961

Open draw, no provincials. I know it will not happen but whether it represents some counties only chance of success is debateable. OK once in a blue moon maybe but essentially its the same teams who return again and again. If anything imagine 2 or three big names going out early on and the chance for a minnow to catch a big fish on an off day and they would have just as much chance of progressing further than ever before.

Dubh_linn (Dublin) - Posts: 2313 - 10/05/2015 12:44:16    1721972

Sure if Kerry played every game for the last 10 years in Killarney they would win about 9, or 10 munsters. Same goes with Mayo. Its obvious what has to be done

PoppinPoints (Meath) - Posts: 225 - 10/05/2015 13:18:00    1721987

PoppinPoints
County: Meath
Posts: 95

1721987
Sure if Kerry played every game for the last 10 years in Killarney they would win about 9, or 10 munsters. Same goes with Mayo. Its obvious what has to be done

Were you saying this when Meath were winning Leinster.
Possibly you should be looking closer to home as to why Leinster is getting poorer.

AthCliath (Dublin) - Posts: 4347 - 10/05/2015 13:37:40    1721994

Dubh_linn
County: Dublin
Posts: 211

whether it represents some counties only chance of success is debateable.


I really don't think it is debatable! Many people are tipping Armagh, for example, for Ulster this year. Not one has tipped them for the All Ireland. (see "call it" thread). Likewise, I would say Roscommon and Galway have realistic chances in Connaught but not challengers for Sam.
And seeing as it's Leinster we are talking about - some Meath fans think they could really put it up to Dublin this year. I can't see them beat Dublin but it wouldn't be the strangest result while Meath winning Sam 2015 would probably be the biggest shock ever (absolutely no disrespect to Meath).

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5296 - 10/05/2015 13:47:45    1722003

I think Leinster Hurling is very much on the up, far far more competitive than the football that's for sure.

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3750 - 10/05/2015 14:05:21    1722015

10/05/2015 13:47:45
cavanman47
County: Cavan
Posts: 1155

1722003
Dubh_linn
County: Dublin
Posts: 211

whether it represents some counties only chance of success is debateable.


I really don't think it is debatable! Many people are tipping Armagh, for example, for Ulster this year. Not one has tipped them for the All Ireland. (see "call it" thread). Likewise, I would say Roscommon and Galway have realistic chances in Connaught but not challengers for Sam.
And seeing as it's Leinster we are talking about - some Meath fans think they could really put it up to Dublin this year. I can't see them beat Dublin but it wouldn't be the strangest result while Meath winning Sam 2015 would probably be the biggest shock ever (absolutely no disrespect to Meath).

Yes,but the point I'm trying to make is in that case Armagh would have an even better chance of an All Ireland if it was open draw.
Dublin Kerry and who knows who else could be out earlier than the way it is now. Also,no back door.

Dubh_linn (Dublin) - Posts: 2313 - 10/05/2015 14:22:41    1722026

The 3 Leinster preliminary round losers could probably benefit from entering a Tommy Murphy Cup that allows a route back into the championship: link

I don't mean to harp on about it but Leinster should have an open draw for the quarter-finals. It's fair enough giving the semi-finalists a bye from round 1, Munster do the same for it's finalists. It's a step too far though keeping the semi-finalists a part in the quarter-finals. Round 1 winners have earned their right to be in the quarter-finals. It should be an open draw at that stage.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 8974 - 10/05/2015 14:54:35    1722041

in the last 30 years,it has been pretty much up to Meath to challenge Dublin,so,if Meath go back,well then...

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 10/05/2015 15:18:20    1722048

It's hard for westmeath to compete in football when we're so busy dominating hurling, and producing singers, Olympians and 6 nations winners

square_ball_69 (Westmeath) - Posts: 826 - 10/05/2015 16:15:48    1722069

It's weird that the leinster hurling championship is 10 times more interesting than the football. 4 teams with a genuine chance and 2 or 3 others behind in the pack. The football has 1 team and 2 that are way behind who might cause them and upset once in 5 years if they're lucky.

My solution is to rotate the dubs around all 4 provinces. So they won't dominate any one championship indefinitely. If kerry or mayo were ever gonna go on a 4 or 5 year run then the dubs would be there one of the years to shake things up. Dublin fans will get some serious Road trips and leinster can recover as a championship.

Could you imagine the motivation counties would get knowing no Dublin for 3 of the 4 years. Meath and Kildare would be the next best teams and honestly what county wouldn't fancy beating them? Carlow probably the only one and even they drew with meath 2 years ago.

Anyway that would solve everything and the dubs would actually be looking forward to their provincial every year.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 10/05/2015 21:38:06    1722271

Why can't Leinster championship be open draw from quarter finals with a home and away system for all rounds except the final?

Let each individual Leinster county who draws Dublin decide where they play their home tie (Croke park or a Neutral Venue like Clones for Louth or Meath, Thurles for Offaly etc).

Say Meath decide to play their home match v Dublin in Croke Park let them decide to take all hill tickets, or warm up infront of the hill or whatever they want as they would be the home team.

I'll wait for the complaints from the Dubs on this one.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1488 - 11/05/2015 08:47:11    1722296

Ahh ffs. Leinster is as predictable as the rest, the probability is Meath will play dubs, in Connaught mayo will play Roscommon in ulster Donegal will play Monaghan and Munster cork will play Kerry. With dubs mayo Kerry and Donegal all winning, so cop yourselves on, Leinster is no worse than any other provinces, just it has the best team in the country in it that would win any other province just as handy this year, Jesus wept some people.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 11/05/2015 10:04:21    1722324

Hate to break it to you Royaldunne but no other province has had the same winner for nine of the last ten years. Connaught has had 4 winners, Ulster 4 and Kerry lead Cork 6-4 (better than their overall record of 2-1).

Face facts, the Leinster championship is a parade for Dublin to show off their skills before they have to face a team that isn't intimidated by them.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1488 - 11/05/2015 14:48:12    1722471

square ball im presuming its tongue in cheek when you say we are dominating hurling . we are dominating nothing
the only true statement you made is about our olympian and i expect you mean mark rohan

mickcunningham (Westmeath) - Posts: 1899 - 11/05/2015 15:22:09    1722481

tirawleybaron

And i hate to break it to you but over those 9/10 wins Meath have comfortably beat the likes of mayo and defending ai champs Tyrone, Kildare have also beat the teams from more fancied provinces ditto Laois, even Longford beat the fav for ulster last year in qualifier, Wexford have also done ok, trust me the likes of Monaghan wouldn't have won a provincial if dubs were playing in it.
Leinster still provides the best quality of football for spectators.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 11/05/2015 15:22:21    1722482