Replying To Pikeman96: "Difficult to say with London since obviously they're a different kettle of fish to other teams as regards how their playing pool might change, but history shows that more often than not, winners of the Christy Ring have been immediately relegated again the following year:
Meath won Christy Ring 2019 - were relegated from Joe McDonagh in 2020 Kildare won Christy Ring 2020 - were relegated from Joe McDonagh in 2021 Offaly won Christy Ring 2021* Kildare won Christy Ring 2022 - were relegated from Joe McDonagh in 2023 Meath won Christy Ring 2023 - were relegated from Joe McDonagh in 2024 Kildare won Christy Ring 2024*
* Just two exceptions to the rule there. Overall, suggests that the step up from Christy Ring to Joe McDonagh is every bit as significant as the step up from Joe McDonagh to Liam McCarthy."
True ya wudnt no who they would have this time next year..taught they wud have missed jack Goulding this year but they won it without him
Replying To Pikeman96: "Difficult to say with London since obviously they're a different kettle of fish to other teams as regards how their playing pool might change, but history shows that more often than not, winners of the Christy Ring have been immediately relegated again the following year:
Meath won Christy Ring 2019 - were relegated from Joe McDonagh in 2020 Kildare won Christy Ring 2020 - were relegated from Joe McDonagh in 2021 Offaly won Christy Ring 2021* Kildare won Christy Ring 2022 - were relegated from Joe McDonagh in 2023 Meath won Christy Ring 2023 - were relegated from Joe McDonagh in 2024 Kildare won Christy Ring 2024*
* Just two exceptions to the rule there. Overall, suggests that the step up from Christy Ring to Joe McDonagh is every bit as significant as the step up from Joe McDonagh to Liam McCarthy."
Meath finished last in the J McD in 2020 but weren't relegated as it was expanded to 6 teams the following year. It was the 2nd time we were saved by the rules being changed.
We finished last in the Leinster Group in 2017 and the rules at the time would have seen us relegated to CR, but then the GAA made a farce of things by deeming both Carlow and Antrim promoted to the 2018 J McD before they'd even played the 2017 CR final. They couldn't come up with a good reason for this bizarre mid competition rule change so had to let Meath stay as well. Naturally we finished dead last in the 2018 J McD and got relegated anyway.
So in 6 seasons of Tier 2 hurling, Meath have finished last in our group 6 times, but managed a playoff win in 2021....
Replying To burdizzo: "Roscommon used to have a respectable hurling tradition - certainly in the south of the county around Athleague and Four Roads. I remember then beating Wexford in the 1984 Centenary Cup, and competing (to an extent) against Galway in 'Connacht Finals' in the '90s. How come they fell off the map so much that a win against Mayo is seen as a big step? Have they any prospect of staying up in Christy Ring?"
The gap between the has and have nots have grown in hurling from the 80s. Mayo have the best club team in Connacht in Tooreen their 2nd best team Ballyhaunis would be around the same as our county champions who more often than not is Four Roads.
Mayo was 1/7 on to win their side is filled with seasoned and experienced campaigners and plenty of Tooreen players. Our team is very young with a lot of players that played in recent U20 B All Ireland finals against Down and Derry. We should have prospects of staying up with the likes of Meath,Donegal we'd be hopeful to be competitive with.
Replying To CastleBravo: "Meath finished last in the J McD in 2020 but weren't relegated as it was expanded to 6 teams the following year. It was the 2nd time we were saved by the rules being changed.
We finished last in the Leinster Group in 2017 and the rules at the time would have seen us relegated to CR, but then the GAA made a farce of things by deeming both Carlow and Antrim promoted to the 2018 J McD before they'd even played the 2017 CR final. They couldn't come up with a good reason for this bizarre mid competition rule change so had to let Meath stay as well. Naturally we finished dead last in the 2018 J McD and got relegated anyway.
So in 6 seasons of Tier 2 hurling, Meath have finished last in our group 6 times, but managed a playoff win in 2021...."
Apologies then for the 'relegated in 2020' thing. As you say, they finished bottom of the Joe McDonagh table that year all right, but I overlooked how there was no relegation on account of it being expanded to six teams in 2021.
Fact remains however that more often than not, the team that comes up from Christy Ring struggles in the McDonagh Cup the following year.