Congress: 96% vote in favour of retaining the current hurling league and championship formats.
The following day: 80% back an Antrim motion for the Ring winner to be allowed direct entry to the Leinster quarter-finals of the same year.

It looks like that Central Council will strike the Antrim motion out of order. It contradicts the motion of the day before! There is also some rule in place that teams cannot participate in Tier 1 and Tier 1 of the same year.

A number of things here:
1B teams participate in the Division 1 quarter-finals. In the past, B championship winners used to enter the first round of the championship proper.

Anyways, I have one solution for this:
Currently losing provincial quarter-finalists have some free weeks while the provincial semi-finals are being played. My simple suggestion is that the losing quarter-finalists be drawn against the bottom 2 teams from the qualifier group and the 2 Ring finalists in the first round of the qualifiers. The winners of the first round would then advance to the second round where the losing provincial semi-finalists would enter.

This would require a change that teams can participate at Ring level and also in the qualifiers of the same year. The current structure can more or less be maintained:
Top 2 of the qualifier group: Still get to the Leinster quarter-finals and possibly earn a seeded place e.g. Laois last year.
3rd placed team: While missing out on the Leinster championship, they still avoid relegation and have the bonus of a qualifier game in the month of June.
4th placed team: Still relegated to the following year's Ring championship. For the current season they will at least be guaranteed a June qualifier. When they enter the Ring in the following year, they will have no guarantee of a qualifier spot unless they make the final.
Ring winner: Promotion earned to the qualifier group of the following year which also guarantees a qualifier spot in that year. For the current year they have the added bonus of being in the qualifiers.
Ring runner-up: While missing out on the Ring and the promotion that goes with it, they will have a bonus of a June qualifier against a high calibre county. Teams cannot be ring-fenced indefinitely. The Ring runner-up will have had a decent championship. A once off qualier regardless of the result would be a great reward for those players.

If the Ring finalists are welcomed into the first round of the qualifiers, 22 counties will enter the various championships with the possibility of winning the Liam McCarthy. Lets break the glass ceilings and give the best of the lower tiers their day in the sun. Kerry took some beatings off of Clare and Wexford this year. It has not done Kerry any harm. They dusted themselves down and got on with the game. Any Ring finalist would do the same. A qualifier game against a high class opponent is better than 10 years against Ring teams only.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7868 - 30/03/2016 21:45:19    1839479

Sounds like a good proposal to me. Anything that helps promote the game outside of the elite teams is positive in my mind.

I'd also like Kerry to be able to play in Munster in the event they are in the top 2 of the qualifier group.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4235 - 30/03/2016 21:57:47    1839488

Yeah I think if Kerry are to keep progressing they really need to get a crack at the Munster Championship. I cannot understand why this is not already the case given they reside in Munster - surely if they are to prosper playing in the top provincial competition would not do them any harm whatsoever.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 31/03/2016 08:17:19    1839495

Let's see how we get on in the qualifier group first. Westmeath and Carlow are good enough to send us back to the Ring championship. Championship is a different beast.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7868 - 31/03/2016 11:12:41    1839563

Is indeed legendzxix but at the same time the fact you boys are in Munster, are on an upward curve the best chance of joining the elite is by joining them and dragging yourselves up to those standards. From an Antrim point of view we were always much better when playing the top teams every year. Granted other factors could be accountable but always good to set the bar high rather than accept mediocrity especially if it is as attainable as playing in Munster should be for you guys.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 31/03/2016 11:36:12    1839576

If Kerry were to ever win a Leinster quarter-final, it would be time to consider it alright. As it is, we enter the qualifier group as Ring champions. Our 3 opponents have plenty of championship experience. Westmeath are going well. Westmeath are capable of getting to 1B and also getting to the Leinster quarter-finals.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7868 - 31/03/2016 16:15:12    1839738

There is certainly an argument for including the Christy Ring champions in the AI series, especially with the Christy Ring being played off so early. But not into the Leinster Championship. First off, it would make the Christy Ring an easier route to the Leinster QF's than the provincial qualifier group.

Secondly, the Leinster Championship can't continue to be a dumping ground for what the current AI structure can't organically accommodate. It implies the Leinster Championship is weaker, and easier to compete in than Munster, its not. As much as you could meet Tipp, Clare, or Limerick in a Munster quarter final, you could meet Kilkenny, Galway, or Dublin in a leinster QF. What's the difference? It also silos' Munster counties from relegation to the provicinal group. Why should Wexford be faced with possible relegation from the Leinster Championship, but all Munster counties are protected? Not right

The provincial qualifer group is a great idea, but if Kerry come out of it, they should really compete in Munster. And including the Christy Ring champions in that years AI series is a great idea, but not in a Leinster quarter-final. Inclusion in the qualifiers would make the most sense. Or maybe even in the Munster championship? Maybe. If we're going to continue with the increasingly inappropriate provincial system, Munster should start carrying more of the load.

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 31/03/2016 20:22:07    1839872

Should the Leinster Hurling Championship be renamed? It is no longer strictly a Leinster Championship, and perhaps should be rebranded to reflect this.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 31/03/2016 20:50:05    1839889

There is certainly an argument for including the Christy Ring champions in the AI series, especially with the Christy Ring being played off so early. But not into the Leinster Championship. First off, it would make the Christy Ring an easier route to the Leinster QF's than the provincial qualifier group.

Secondly, the Leinster Championship can't continue to be a dumping ground for what the current AI structure can't organically accommodate. It implies the Leinster Championship is weaker, and easier to compete in than Munster, its not. As much as you could meet Tipp, Clare, or Limerick in a Munster quarter final, you could meet Kilkenny, Galway, or Dublin in a leinster QF. What's the difference? It also silos' Munster counties from relegation to the provicinal group. Why should Wexford be faced with possible relegation from the Leinster Championship, but all Munster counties are protected? Not right

The provincial qualifer group is a great idea, but if Kerry come out of it, they should really compete in Munster. And including the Christy Ring champions in that years AI series is a great idea, but not in a Leinster quarter-final. Inclusion in the qualifiers would make the most sense. Or maybe even in the Munster championship? Maybe. If we're going to continue with the increasingly inappropriate provincial system, Munster should start carrying more of the load.

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts:1374 - 31/03/2016 20:22:07 1839872

I agree with almost everything said here.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4235 - 31/03/2016 20:57:33    1839896

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - very refreshing post.

Naysayer (Antrim) - Posts: 2071 - 01/04/2016 15:01:45    1840186