National Forum

Football Format Changes Discussion

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


The Connacht and Munster finals were big events. Standalone events as well with no relevance to the All Ireland championship.
At a minimum the All Ireland draw should be after the provincial finals. That might require a partial draw where 4 are drawn against the Connacht and Munster finalists after those finals. The remaining 4 then could be drawn against the Ulster and Leinster finalists after their finals have been played. Sin é! CA!

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9731 - 10/05/2026 21:21:05    2672133

Link

Replying To legendzxix:  "The Connacht and Munster finals were big events. Standalone events as well with no relevance to the All Ireland championship.
At a minimum the All Ireland draw should be after the provincial finals. That might require a partial draw where 4 are drawn against the Connacht and Munster finalists after those finals. The remaining 4 then could be drawn against the Ulster and Leinster finalists after their finals have been played. Sin é! CA!"
No, the provincial winners need to be seeded 1, and runners up seeded 2. Top 4 from league seeded 3 and bottom 4 from league seeded 4. Seed 1 v Seed 4 and Seed 2 v Seed 3 with seeds 1 and 2 at home. Thats all that's needed within this system. I, personally, prefer the round robin system but this is the tweak this one needs.
The Draw can happen when it happened then. You, if you are not in a provincial finsl, know who you could be playing then and provincial finalists know who they have if they win or lose.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 408 - 10/05/2026 22:16:53    2672163

Link

Replying To legendzxix:  "The Connacht and Munster finals were big events. Standalone events as well with no relevance to the All Ireland championship.
At a minimum the All Ireland draw should be after the provincial finals. That might require a partial draw where 4 are drawn against the Connacht and Munster finalists after those finals. The remaining 4 then could be drawn against the Ulster and Leinster finalists after their finals have been played. Sin é! CA!"
Makes sense.
Any chance of making Prov Finals half of Rd 1 ties?

omahant (USA) - Posts: 3423 - 11/05/2026 03:06:55    2672201

Link

Replying To Tadhg2020:  "No, the provincial winners need to be seeded 1, and runners up seeded 2. Top 4 from league seeded 3 and bottom 4 from league seeded 4. Seed 1 v Seed 4 and Seed 2 v Seed 3 with seeds 1 and 2 at home. Thats all that's needed within this system. I, personally, prefer the round robin system but this is the tweak this one needs.
The Draw can happen when it happened then. You, if you are not in a provincial finsl, know who you could be playing then and provincial finalists know who they have if they win or lose."
Your seeding would put Cork above Donegal this year, because they done what exactly in the Munster championship? Remember your munster seedings, to keep them away from any realistic opposition, before you answer. Deal with your elephant in the room, and any of half a dozen formats will work for all- Ireland, and it's timing of draws.

Expertinall (UK) - Posts: 85 - 16/05/2026 11:30:33    2673272

Link

Replying To Expertinall:  "Your seeding would put Cork above Donegal this year, because they done what exactly in the Munster championship? Remember your munster seedings, to keep them away from any realistic opposition, before you answer. Deal with your elephant in the room, and any of half a dozen formats will work for all- Ireland, and it's timing of draws."
I dont have to deal with any elephant in any room.
Cork are a division 1 team who got to a provincial final. Thats the system and no matter how hard you try, imo, you are not going to downgrade the achievements of Roscommon or Westmeath this season or louth last season or Tipp a few seasons before. Whether you like it or not the league is a warm up competition for the championship. If Donegal are so much better than Cork then they should be delighted to get them in the qualifier even in the pairc.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 408 - 16/05/2026 14:11:06    2673299

Link

Replying To Tadhg2020:  "I dont have to deal with any elephant in any room.
Cork are a division 1 team who got to a provincial final. Thats the system and no matter how hard you try, imo, you are not going to downgrade the achievements of Roscommon or Westmeath this season or louth last season or Tipp a few seasons before. Whether you like it or not the league is a warm up competition for the championship. If Donegal are so much better than Cork then they should be delighted to get them in the qualifier even in the pairc."
Cork aren't a division 1 team, until next year and they came second in a 2 horse race, seeded to keep those horses at the front. Yet you insist they have equal status with non seeded provincial finalists? Roscommon and westmeath did not have this handy little arrangement. If munster want to keep it, then any advantage afterwards needs to be highlighted, sorry to say.
Interesting how many years you went back to find Tipperary, but your other examples are current?

Expertinall (UK) - Posts: 85 - 16/05/2026 18:41:22    2673354

Link

Replying To Tadhg2020:  "No, the provincial winners need to be seeded 1, and runners up seeded 2. Top 4 from league seeded 3 and bottom 4 from league seeded 4. Seed 1 v Seed 4 and Seed 2 v Seed 3 with seeds 1 and 2 at home. Thats all that's needed within this system. I, personally, prefer the round robin system but this is the tweak this one needs.
The Draw can happen when it happened then. You, if you are not in a provincial finsl, know who you could be playing then and provincial finalists know who they have if they win or lose."
Why should provincial winners and runners up be seeded 1 and 2? The provinces are not equal competitions. Kerry and Cork would be 1 or 2 seedings pretty much every year going into the All Ireland series for doing next to nothing.

JimB1991 (Donegal) - Posts: 169 - 16/05/2026 22:36:03    2673413

Link