National Forum

No League Finals - A Joke

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


There's a few lads here that can't seem to grasp that we have only one Division 1, and the only reason there was a North and South was for logistical reasons.

Had the GAA decided from the beginning that the two Division 1 teams who had accumulated the most points, regardless of whether they were North or South would meet in the final, there wouldn't have been a word about it, apart from the usual Donegal self pity whinging.

We would now be looking forward to a Dublin v Kerry league final.

AfricanGael (UK) - Posts: 1947 - 01/06/2021 09:45:04    2347284

Link

Majority would seem to be happy had the top team in North group played the top team in the South group for the league title in all four divisions. It would have added extra spice to the Kerry v Dublin match in Thurles knowing that the winner would probably qualify for the final. Relegation semi finals make even less sense. How will Armagh having lost just one game feel having to play a survival contest against a team that lost all three matches. On the other hand it does I suppose give extra match practice to counties with a longer lead up to the championship.

Curlew66 (Roscommon) - Posts: 506 - 01/06/2021 15:04:22    2347418

Link

Replying To Curlew66:  "Majority would seem to be happy had the top team in North group played the top team in the South group for the league title in all four divisions. It would have added extra spice to the Kerry v Dublin match in Thurles knowing that the winner would probably qualify for the final. Relegation semi finals make even less sense. How will Armagh having lost just one game feel having to play a survival contest against a team that lost all three matches. On the other hand it does I suppose give extra match practice to counties with a longer lead up to the championship."
I know what you mean but sure what has North and South got to do with anything ? They are all Division 1 teams, surely the two teams who accumulate the most points are more deserving of a spot in the final, you could still end up with a North v South but always reward the teams with the most points, otherwise it would be an even a bigger joke than what it already is.

AfricanGael (UK) - Posts: 1947 - 01/06/2021 15:29:19    2347428

Link

Replying To AfricanGael:  "I know what you mean but sure what has North and South got to do with anything ? They are all Division 1 teams, surely the two teams who accumulate the most points are more deserving of a spot in the final, you could still end up with a North v South but always reward the teams with the most points, otherwise it would be an even a bigger joke than what it already is."
100%...of course there should be league finals..its the only trophy 4 of the 8 participants in each division can/might win...this obsession with the championship, and realistically only 4 teams can win it..let the lesser teams try and win a cup and trophy...

Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 1034 - 01/06/2021 22:03:11    2347540

Link

Time for AllIanz to consider their sponsorship of the leagues.

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6031 - 01/06/2021 22:36:22    2347557

Link

Can't see why the GAA couldn't have found a spare weekend during the championship season or play off the finals a few weeks after the All-ireland final. After all, this year's inter-county season only runs from May-August.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 02/06/2021 10:39:22    2347613

Link

Replying To Greengrass:  "Time for AllIanz to consider their sponsorship of the leagues."
Time for you in Louth to start winning. And less of the negativity.

galwayford (Galway) - Posts: 2519 - 02/06/2021 11:46:58    2347654

Link

Replying To Gleebo:  "Can't see why the GAA couldn't have found a spare weekend during the championship season or play off the finals a few weeks after the All-ireland final. After all, this year's inter-county season only runs from May-August."
Like next weekend. Another weekend of games where every team could play meaningful games that'll be good preparation close to championship. Then play the finals the following weekend just before some start the championship. Will be plenty of weekends where teams progress in the championship that they'll be looking for challenge games, or playing A v B gamed , that won't be a proper test ahead of their next game.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7345 - 03/06/2021 18:03:35    2348050

Link

Replying To GreenandRed:  "Like next weekend. Another weekend of games where every team could play meaningful games that'll be good preparation close to championship. Then play the finals the following weekend just before some start the championship. Will be plenty of weekends where teams progress in the championship that they'll be looking for challenge games, or playing A v B gamed , that won't be a proper test ahead of their next game."
You could then have a team playing 4 weeks in a row, not ideal either.

AfricanGael (UK) - Posts: 1947 - 03/06/2021 19:32:16    2348064

Link

Kerry and Dublin both winning today in league semi finals which should lead to a mouth watering final next week but the GAA falling over itself to be the most covid compliant group in the world !
The GAA the only sport where you enter a competition no team can win ? A joke

OpenStand (Limerick) - Posts: 672 - 12/06/2021 21:06:13    2349963

Link

Replying To OpenStand:  "Kerry and Dublin both winning today in league semi finals which should lead to a mouth watering final next week but the GAA falling over itself to be the most covid compliant group in the world !
The GAA the only sport where you enter a competition no team can win ? A joke"
Absolutely a very stupid mistake, a mouth watering Dublin v Kerry league final which is most likely going to be the pairing in the All Ireland final too, I can't get my head around how stupid you would have to be to let this situation unfold, mind boggling.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 2747 - 12/06/2021 21:25:04    2349970

Link

Replying To OpenStand:  "Kerry and Dublin both winning today in league semi finals which should lead to a mouth watering final next week but the GAA falling over itself to be the most covid compliant group in the world !
The GAA the only sport where you enter a competition no team can win ? A joke"
It is a bit farcical, but to be fair too nobody remembers who wins the league, I can't imagine any of the teams in the shakeup will be too bothered though with championship a few weeks away.

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 1909 - 12/06/2021 21:28:50    2349975

Link

Replying To OpenStand:  "Kerry and Dublin both winning today in league semi finals which should lead to a mouth watering final next week but the GAA falling over itself to be the most covid compliant group in the world !
The GAA the only sport where you enter a competition no team can win ? A joke"
Unless Dublin and Tyrone won.

oneoff (UK) - Posts: 1380 - 12/06/2021 21:38:14    2349981

Link

Damn shame alright but the game would be far too close to championship for them to go hell for leather at each other so may have been a disappointing affair, guess we'll never know.

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8592 - 12/06/2021 21:43:46    2349984

Link

Why not have joint winners. It is a nice amateur thing to do. It is not appropiate for Professional sport though. I agree though that a Dubs V Kerry final would be great. These are not normal times. And the Govt decision to ban the GAA is the real reason we have no final.

galwayford (Galway) - Posts: 2519 - 12/06/2021 21:58:03    2349993

Link

Some thoughts (although it's all too late now):
1) Why not play the Div 2, 3 and 4 league finals after the finalists have been knocked out of the championship? Indeed the lower you go in the league the higher the chance the finalists won't last in the championship too long. No need to try to squeeze the finals in before the start of the championship. Let one team finish their season on a high by winning some silverware.

1a) Here's another idea. Instead of Div 2, 3 and 4 semifinals, maybe they should have done this:
- 2A winners vs 2B winners play in the final, winner wins division and gets promoted;
- 2A runners-up vs 2B runners-up play each other, and the winner plays the beaten team in Div 2 final for the other promotion place.
Repeat for Divs 3 and 4.
So you'd have your league finals before the championship, and you could still get the promotion playoffs done after both teams exit the championship. If you really want, you could extend this to relegation too: bottom teams in A and B play each other (loser relegated), third place teams in A and B play each other (winner is safe, lower plays winner of the other game, and the loser of that game is the other relegated team, but maybe that's overkill.)

2) Whereas Divs 2, 3 and 4 needed semifinals* to determine promotion, Div 1 did not. They should have let that proceed directly to a final. Or better again, what better training is needed before a game them a game? The semifinals should have been played last weekend, with the final this weekend, and everyone would be very well rehearsed for the start of the championship.

*Or did they?

Tacaí Liatroma (Leitrim) - Posts: 1030 - 12/06/2021 23:25:37    2350027

Link

Replying To galwayford:  "Why not have joint winners. It is a nice amateur thing to do. It is not appropiate for Professional sport though. I agree though that a Dubs V Kerry final would be great. These are not normal times. And the Govt decision to ban the GAA is the real reason we have no final."
It WAS shared.

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8592 - 13/06/2021 20:42:19    2350471

Link

Now Derry v Offaly final will go ahead, the GAA are an out and out laughing stock to be avoided by any young lad or lass with brains.

AfricanGael (UK) - Posts: 1947 - 14/06/2021 18:36:11    2350900

Link

Replying To Bon:  "It is a bit farcical, but to be fair too nobody remembers who wins the league, I can't imagine any of the teams in the shakeup will be too bothered though with championship a few weeks away."
You don't remember when it's not your county, but when it is and you're from a county that doesn't have a winning tradition or a fighting chance in the provincial championship, it's something else entirely. I'm 24 and have no living memory of Kildare winning anything. Of course Mayo would be favourites, but this is a great crack at silverware denied to us.

Sweetspot (Kildare) - Posts: 323 - 14/06/2021 18:46:50    2350904

Link

Replying To galwayford:  "Time for you in Louth to start winning. And less of the negativity."
Louth won three out of four matches in the league. It should of been four out of four but wee gained promotion which was the main aim. Not bad for a team that has to start winning.

Ollie2 (Louth) - Posts: 784 - 14/06/2021 18:49:49    2350906

Link