National Forum

How Do We Take Hurling On From Here

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Im sorry but I lived through the 80s and 90s and that's just not true. It wasn't at its current height. That is true but it never fell to anything like whats currently attending Bob o Keeffe games these days. I remember my first game and the crowds were huge. I was hooked immediately. That was in late 70s and I was 6 or 7. I remember we had nearly as many out on the street as inside croke park in 94. We went into that season with no real hope and there was a huge crowd for first round. We live for it of course there are bandwagoners but I cant recall ever being at a Munster match with attendence of 4k like what happens regularly in the Bob. Thats for the competing teams to sort out though.
Either way, that wasn't my point. My point remains that the Munster championship is the biggest show in town and the attendances support that. It is that because of the quality of the games on offer. Any team wanting to come into the championship need to be up to , at least, the level of the weakest team in it."
Did Limerick not move Munster championship matches out of the Gaelic Grounds during the 90's due to small crowds and start playing them in Kilmallock?

Onion Breath (Carlow) - Posts: 1806 - 21/03/2026 19:09:38    2662113

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Replying To Onion Breath:  "Did Limerick not move Munster championship matches out of the Gaelic Grounds during the 90's due to small crowds and start playing them in Kilmallock?"
No. I dont recall if kerry were in it but they would be the only team we would play in kilmallock.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 91 - 21/03/2026 19:45:43    2662122

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Im sorry but I lived through the 80s and 90s and that's just not true. It wasn't at its current height. That is true but it never fell to anything like whats currently attending Bob o Keeffe games these days. I remember my first game and the crowds were huge. I was hooked immediately. That was in late 70s and I was 6 or 7. I remember we had nearly as many out on the street as inside croke park in 94. We went into that season with no real hope and there was a huge crowd for first round. We live for it of course there are bandwagoners but I cant recall ever being at a Munster match with attendence of 4k like what happens regularly in the Bob. Thats for the competing teams to sort out though.
Either way, that wasn't my point. My point remains that the Munster championship is the biggest show in town and the attendances support that. It is that because of the quality of the games on offer. Any team wanting to come into the championship need to be up to , at least, the level of the weakest team in it."
For sure the Munster counties are ahead currently. Thats why attendances are better there. Its up to the Leinster counties to catch up.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18814 - 21/03/2026 20:26:45    2662128

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Sure ye only have yourselves to blame for that."
The obvious point is teams of a reasonable level are being excluded from Tier 2. You're not expecting the Munster 5 to be unnecessarily relegated. If you can join the dots and extend the same logic to the Joe Mac, you'll be commenting more fairly on Tier 2.

Randomly the Leitrim Senior Football Championship has the format the Joe Mac could adopt!:
• 8 teams in 1 group.
• Swiss model type format of playing 1 team from 4 seeded brackets.
• 2 home games and 2 away games during the regular group phase.
• 3rd & 4th at home to 5th & 6th in quarter finals.
• 1st & 2nd at home to QF winners in semi finals.
- 7th & 8th into relegation final.

Laois had a motion passed that 2nd v 3rd will contest a semi final from next year. That'll mean 5 group rounds and 2 knockout rounds totalling 7 rounds. The now-called "Leitrim format" requires 4 group rounds and 3 knockout rounds also totalling 7 rounds.
From someone who attends lower tier hurling - a format that brings more knockout back into tier 2 championship should be welcomed. There should be initiatives around home knockout rounds to boost crowds for a more vibrant tier 2 championship.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9556 - 22/03/2026 07:52:12    2662151

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Replying To legendzxix:  "The obvious point is teams of a reasonable level are being excluded from Tier 2. You're not expecting the Munster 5 to be unnecessarily relegated. If you can join the dots and extend the same logic to the Joe Mac, you'll be commenting more fairly on Tier 2.

Randomly the Leitrim Senior Football Championship has the format the Joe Mac could adopt!:
• 8 teams in 1 group.
• Swiss model type format of playing 1 team from 4 seeded brackets.
• 2 home games and 2 away games during the regular group phase.
• 3rd & 4th at home to 5th & 6th in quarter finals.
• 1st & 2nd at home to QF winners in semi finals.
- 7th & 8th into relegation final.

Laois had a motion passed that 2nd v 3rd will contest a semi final from next year. That'll mean 5 group rounds and 2 knockout rounds totalling 7 rounds. The now-called "Leitrim format" requires 4 group rounds and 3 knockout rounds also totalling 7 rounds.
From someone who attends lower tier hurling - a format that brings more knockout back into tier 2 championship should be welcomed. There should be initiatives around home knockout rounds to boost crowds for a more vibrant tier 2 championship."
Look you can fill your days with fantasy hurling competitions and formats if you so wish. Thats your perogative and right. It wont change anything. Most are happy with the current structures and format. Its not perfect but its fair and merit based. You work your way up or down the pyramid depending on performance. Kerry have that opportunity this season. If they are up for it they will win the Christy. If they are not they wont. Tjats how it should be.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 91 - 22/03/2026 12:33:03    2662175

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Replying To legendzxix:  "The following was based on no changes to the Munster and Leinster championships.

Joe Mac (1 single group of 8 teams over 7 rounds)
1. Antrim home semi final v Westmeath
2. Carlow home semi final v Laois
3. Laois
4. Westmeath
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5. Down
6. Kerry
7. Meath
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8. London relegated to Ring.

Joe Mac winner promoted to their provincial championship.

Kerry in the Ring is like Wexford relegated from Leinster. We'll get on with it but are the tiered structures overly tiered.."
2 groups of 4
4 rounds
Seeds 1458 v 2367
Same group top 2 to SFs
Final is only game repeated

omahant (USA) - Posts: 3380 - 22/03/2026 13:16:07    2662189

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Look you can fill your days with fantasy hurling competitions and formats if you so wish. Thats your perogative and right. It wont change anything. Most are happy with the current structures and format. Its not perfect but its fair and merit based. You work your way up or down the pyramid depending on performance. Kerry have that opportunity this season. If they are up for it they will win the Christy. If they are not they wont. Tjats how it should be."
Leinster started with 5 and expanded to 6. The Joe Mac was supposed to have 5 but also settled on 6. Slight changes to the tiered boundaries has to change a bit if required.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9556 - 22/03/2026 13:23:49    2662190

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Replying To omahant:  "2 groups of 4
4 rounds
Seeds 1458 v 2367
Same group top 2 to SFs
Final is only game repeated"
Not looking to get specifically into formats. Home semi finals and initiatives around that to boost crowds are needed. If attendances rise in the Joe Mac, that might carry through more consistently for counties promoted to provincial level.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9556 - 22/03/2026 13:26:20    2662191

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Replying To Viking66:  "Or would that just result in teams setting up even more defensively to prevent goals?"
Possibly but not probably - would need to be tested.
For sure, packing the goal would make one-pointers even easier, and a likely defeat.

omahant (USA) - Posts: 3380 - 22/03/2026 13:30:17    2662194

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Replying To legendzxix:  "Leinster started with 5 and expanded to 6. The Joe Mac was supposed to have 5 but also settled on 6. Slight changes to the tiered boundaries has to change a bit if required."
Its not required

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18814 - 22/03/2026 13:50:29    2662197

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Replying To Viking66:  "Its not required"
When Kerry were pushing for Joe Mac finals and Meath - Kildare were swapping places up and down, it was clear the Joe Mac had to expand. The chopping of the preliminary quarter finals gives great scope for a more vibrant tier 2.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9556 - 22/03/2026 14:25:13    2662208

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Replying To legendzxix:  "Leinster started with 5 and expanded to 6. The Joe Mac was supposed to have 5 but also settled on 6. Slight changes to the tiered boundaries has to change a bit if required."
As I've said before. Extending the Bob O Keeffe to 6 was a mistake. It took all the jeopardy out of the championship. It was done , imo, to ensure that a County like Offaly would never be relegated again. It probably has achieved that goal but there is no real competition worth talking about anymore and that's reflected in the attendances. It was never going to be as competitive as munster but a 5 team competition between Kilkenny, Galway Dublin, Wexford and Offaly with 3 going on and one going down has a lot more going for it that what we have now.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 91 - 22/03/2026 16:54:34    2662263

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Replying To legendzxix:  "When Kerry were pushing for Joe Mac finals and Meath - Kildare were swapping places up and down, it was clear the Joe Mac had to expand. The chopping of the preliminary quarter finals gives great scope for a more vibrant tier 2."
Its vibrant as is. A great competition. Leave it alone.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18814 - 22/03/2026 18:41:07    2662306

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