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6 Teams Left In A Hurling May 24Th

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There's a county championship that has 8 teams in a group. After 2 home games and 2 away games - the top 2 go direct to semi finals, 3rd to 6th in quarter finals and 7th-8th in relegation final. This would suit if the lower tiers were restructured as 3 tiers of 8.

3rd v 4th in All Ireland preliminary quarter finals seems the smoothest option at the top level. Hurling needs that bit more exposure. The important thing really is that the runners up has home game in the quarter finals. It has to be more attractive to make the provincial finals.

(There's an argument in football that 2A losers should have home advantage in Round 3. It was nearly more favourable this year to lose in R1 and enter R3 off the back of a win in 2B.)

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9896 - 27/06/2026 09:14:06    2682171

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Replying To Viking66:  "Do away with League finals, and start the Provincial Championships 2 weeks earlier.
Then a standalone AI series like we have in Football. Plenty of time for it."
Relegation?
Are the other 10 to play in the AI?
Who'll bother in the Provincial round Robins?

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 684 - 27/06/2026 09:33:02    2682174

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Replying To Viking66:  "No we were home to Limerick. We were away to Louth, Fermanagh, Leitrim and Offaly."
I thought we are talking hurling. My apologies. I agree that the TC is unbalanced and thus unfair atm. The luck of the draw is too big a thing.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 627 - 27/06/2026 11:21:21    2682182

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Replying To Viking66:  "Its the intercounty window, so intercounty games should take priority."
Croke Park have to be practical here as do the participating county boards. If the tiered finals were on in late July it may harm hurling in those counties rather than help them. Especially the lower down the pyramid you go. Im not aware of any complaints from those counties either. In an ideal world yes I agree but I think pragmatism must prevail.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 627 - 27/06/2026 11:24:33    2682183

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Replying To Viking66:  "Do away with League finals, and start the Provincial Championships 2 weeks earlier.
Then a standalone AI series like we have in Football. Plenty of time for it."
The players aren't machines. While its somewhat palatable in theory its just fanciful in reality. You are talking about way too many games there. The players would break down its happening in football and they dont have a round robin provincial championship. I also dont think the public interest would be there for many of the potential games
The attendances in Leinster would indicate that. Some of the teams just aren't good enough to draw a crowd. Their fans aren't mugs either. They know that. Ive gone to Mullingar for league games in recent past. We have outnumbered WM fans 3 or 4 tto one each time. Thats the reality. Hurling for hurling sake doesnt help anything. Its the AI championship.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 627 - 27/06/2026 11:32:13    2682185

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Replying To legendzxix:  "There's a county championship that has 8 teams in a group. After 2 home games and 2 away games - the top 2 go direct to semi finals, 3rd to 6th in quarter finals and 7th-8th in relegation final. This would suit if the lower tiers were restructured as 3 tiers of 8.

3rd v 4th in All Ireland preliminary quarter finals seems the smoothest option at the top level. Hurling needs that bit more exposure. The important thing really is that the runners up has home game in the quarter finals. It has to be more attractive to make the provincial finals.

(There's an argument in football that 2A losers should have home advantage in Round 3. It was nearly more favourable this year to lose in R1 and enter R3 off the back of a win in 2B.)"
Come on. Its the Munster and AI championship you are talking about not some pub tournament
Treat it with respect.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 627 - 27/06/2026 11:34:12    2682186

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Replying To Seanfan:  "Relegation?
Are the other 10 to play in the AI?
Who'll bother in the Provincial round Robins?"
Relegation from the Liam McCarthy to Joe Mac. Bottom teams in each group play off. I posted a fuller version around a month ago.
Teams wanting to win a Provincial title will bother trying to win one. At this stage all the counties would value one, even Kilkenny.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20105 - 27/06/2026 11:44:16    2682187

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "For gods sake, they dont have a McCarthy medal. They won the all ireland that they could and they value it accordingly. Its the pinnacle of their career. They were never going to win a McCarthy and knew that from day one in an intercounty set up. Therefore they value it in the same way as someone values a McCarthy medal that actually won one. Why? Because it is their All Ireland and they worked just as hard and made similar sacrifices to achieve their medal. Do you understand now?
On the other matter, thankfully it doesnt really matter what you believe or i for that matter. Its not allowed and I agree with that."
No i dont understand tbh.
For a start id question whether they did make similar sacrifices and work just as hard. I don't doubt that their commitment is admirable but their inferior skill and fitness levels compared to their McCarthy counterparts would indicate that they don't work just as hard.

And as much as im sure they value their medal,im pretty sure they'd swap it for an all ireland medal if given the chance. Do you honestly believe otherwise?

Its crazy to think that if Henry Shefflin was born a few miles down the road in Laois or wherever that a Joe McDonagh medal would have been the pinnacle of his career.

Seniorleague (Galway) - Posts: 73 - 27/06/2026 13:16:47    2682198

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Replying To Seniorleague:  "No i dont understand tbh.
For a start id question whether they did make similar sacrifices and work just as hard. I don't doubt that their commitment is admirable but their inferior skill and fitness levels compared to their McCarthy counterparts would indicate that they don't work just as hard.

And as much as im sure they value their medal,im pretty sure they'd swap it for an all ireland medal if given the chance. Do you honestly believe otherwise?

Its crazy to think that if Henry Shefflin was born a few miles down the road in Laois or wherever that a Joe McDonagh medal would have been the pinnacle of his career."
Think you are very wrong there. There are some top hurlers in Joe Mac counties. And top hurling clubs as good as or better than most clubs in Liam McCarthy counties. What makes the biggest difference is that the Liam McCarthy counties have more top clubs producing more top hurlers.
Its not that Liam McCarthy counties train harder, or more often.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20105 - 27/06/2026 17:05:43    2682215

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Replying To Viking66:  "Think you are very wrong there. There are some top hurlers in Joe Mac counties. And top hurling clubs as good as or better than most clubs in Liam McCarthy counties. What makes the biggest difference is that the Liam McCarthy counties have more top clubs producing more top hurlers.
Its not that Liam McCarthy counties train harder, or more often."
When did i ever say that there are no top hurlers or clubs in Joe McDonagh counties?

Seniorleague (Galway) - Posts: 73 - 27/06/2026 17:59:12    2682227

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Replying To Seniorleague:  "When did i ever say that there are no top hurlers or clubs in Joe McDonagh counties?"
"I don't doubt that their commitment is admirable but their inferior skill and fitness levels compared to their McCarthy counterparts would indicate that they don't work just as hard."

This is what you said- inferior skill?!!!
And they dont work as hard?!!!

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20105 - 27/06/2026 18:27:16    2682230

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Replying To Viking66:  ""I don't doubt that their commitment is admirable but their inferior skill and fitness levels compared to their McCarthy counterparts would indicate that they don't work just as hard."

This is what you said- inferior skill?!!!
And they dont work as hard?!!!"
On the whole yes,Joe McDonagh teams are inferior to their al ireland counterparts, i know thats not the appropriate way to word it these days,but its true.

I have no doubt that there are fabulous hurlers and clubs in these counties.

In fact I said in the previous page that my main argument in favour of a transfer system is that so many talented hurlers are prohibited from playing at the highest level because theyre born in the wrong county.

Seniorleague (Galway) - Posts: 73 - 27/06/2026 18:45:54    2682233

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Replying To Viking66:  ""I don't doubt that their commitment is admirable but their inferior skill and fitness levels compared to their McCarthy counterparts would indicate that they don't work just as hard."

This is what you said- inferior skill?!!!
And they dont work as hard?!!!"
Can I ask,do you believe that all Liam McCarthy teams work equally hard? Do you think for example that wexford could physically match Limerick or Cork over a full game?

Seniorleague (Galway) - Posts: 73 - 27/06/2026 19:01:17    2682238

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Replying To Seniorleague:  "Can I ask,do you believe that all Liam McCarthy teams work equally hard? Do you think for example that wexford could physically match Limerick or Cork over a full game?"
Not right now, individually they are further along in their athletic development. Our starting teams average age is around 4 or 5 years younger than theirs. Thats not down to the Cork or Limerick lads working harder, moreso they've been working longer. Ourselves and Offaly are very young compared to the other Liam McCarthy teams.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20105 - 27/06/2026 19:17:25    2682243

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Replying To Seniorleague:  "On the whole yes,Joe McDonagh teams are inferior to their al ireland counterparts, i know thats not the appropriate way to word it these days,but its true.

I have no doubt that there are fabulous hurlers and clubs in these counties.

In fact I said in the previous page that my main argument in favour of a transfer system is that so many talented hurlers are prohibited from playing at the highest level because theyre born in the wrong county."
The Joe Mac teams are inferior because they have a smaller pick. Not because all their hurlers are "less skilled" or "dont work as hard".

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20105 - 27/06/2026 19:19:15    2682244

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Replying To Viking66:  "The Joe Mac teams are inferior because they have a smaller pick. Not because all their hurlers are "less skilled" or "dont work as hard"."
So success is directly proportional to the size of a teams pick, and nothing to do with skill and application?

Seniorleague (Galway) - Posts: 73 - 27/06/2026 19:42:16    2682248

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Replying To Seniorleague:  "So success is directly proportional to the size of a teams pick, and nothing to do with skill and application?"
If you have a bigger pick you will generally have more skilful players, just by law of averages. And likewise you will have more skilful players who work really hard, which is a different type of player to a skilful one, or one that just works hard. A rarer player.
Same with clubs, with the odd exception that proves the rule.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20105 - 27/06/2026 20:01:41    2682251

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Replying To Viking66:  "The Joe Mac teams are inferior because they have a smaller pick. Not because all their hurlers are "less skilled" or "dont work as hard"."
Forgive my slowness today but im not fully following.

Are you arguing that Joe Mc teams ARE just as skilfull and hardworking as their Liam Mc counterparts,,,or are you agreeing with me that theyre not,but that the size of their pick is the reason?

Seniorleague (Galway) - Posts: 73 - 27/06/2026 21:21:40    2682280

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