National Forum

6 Teams Left In A Hurling May 24Th

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Replying To legendzxix:  "Football has the All Ireland 16 and a Tailteann 16. Division 1 and 2 counties completing strongly in the All Ireland. Division 3 and 4 counties competing strongly in the Tailteann.

Hurling has 11 in Tier 1. 1A and 1B counties competing. The Joe Mac should be something of a mirror or Tier 1. 2 group of 5. 2nd v 3rd in quarter finals, winners taking on group winners in the semi finals. Final as curtain raiser to an All Ireland semi final.

Sure there will be some tough games for some. Kildare put in a massive effort going into Leinster. Anyone coming up from the Ring would similarly have to put in a big effort going into a Joe Mac of 10. Sin é. Low probability of football county boards pushing for that change however."
The lower tiers are accurately formatted. There gap in standards between the tiers is very real. Pretty much every team promoted between the tiers tend to struggle the following season. Thats a good indicator that they are correctly balanced. It also allows 4 other teams win All Irelands in their own right. I know lads here in Roscommon with Rackard medals. They value them and are respected within the hurling and gaa community ( real gaa community) for their achievements and representation. Obviously its not football level respect but respect is respect and earned.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 729 - 12/07/2026 15:22:01    2685401

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "The lower tiers are accurately formatted. There gap in standards between the tiers is very real. Pretty much every team promoted between the tiers tend to struggle the following season. Thats a good indicator that they are correctly balanced. It also allows 4 other teams win All Irelands in their own right. I know lads here in Roscommon with Rackard medals. They value them and are respected within the hurling and gaa community ( real gaa community) for their achievements and representation. Obviously its not football level respect but respect is respect and earned."
All Ireland hurling has 2 provincial groups that feed into quarter finals and semi finals. That's all well and good.
Reducing lower tier championships to 6 teams is not championship. The lower tiers should at least revert to 3 tiers of 8 - where there would actually be semi finals to make the finals.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9973 - 13/07/2026 04:10:22    2685518

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Replying To legendzxix:  "All Ireland hurling has 2 provincial groups that feed into quarter finals and semi finals. That's all well and good.
Reducing lower tier championships to 6 teams is not championship. The lower tiers should at least revert to 3 tiers of 8 - where there would actually be semi finals to make the finals."
Says you and only you. I dont hear hurling people from the counties in the tiered championships complaining. They know the difference in standard between the tiers.
There are only 6 teams in the Offaly Senior B hurling championship. Its very competitive. In fact most of the counties in the tiered championships have 8 or less teams in their senior club championship. In Roscommon its 7, Mayo its 4 Afaik, Carlow 5 I think, even in kerry its only 9. All are keenly contested. Its not the amount of teams that make a championship. Its the competition to win that makes it. I remember being told this in Roscommon years ago." Just because there are only 7 teams dont think this is easy to win. It isnt" That was 20 years ago and the local club still havent won it.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 729 - 13/07/2026 20:23:48    2685656

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Replying To legendzxix:  "All Ireland hurling has 2 provincial groups that feed into quarter finals and semi finals. That's all well and good.
Reducing lower tier championships to 6 teams is not championship. The lower tiers should at least revert to 3 tiers of 8 - where there would actually be semi finals to make the finals."
6 ok with 1 semi, I suppose.

omahant (USA) - Posts: 3480 - 14/07/2026 00:56:36    2685692

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Replying To omahant:  "6 ok with 1 semi, I suppose."
It is half ok! With the lower tiers championships long established, I'd just be of the humble opinion that they'd want 8 teams with at least 2 semi finals - however that would be agreed upon.
As the lower tier championships are out of the limelight - the current groups of 6 could nearly get away with the top 4 going into semi finals anyway, with the top 2 at home. The provincial championships would come under the microscope for something like that but as with the 2A winner (Fermanagh) hosting New York in a preliminary quarter final, the lower tier championships are less under the microscope for quirks like that.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9973 - 14/07/2026 14:57:22    2685735

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With 4 of 6, maybe IPL format is better - i.e. 1v2, loser to SF & 3v4 QF, winner to SF.

omahant (USA) - Posts: 3480 - 16/07/2026 15:51:34    2685953

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Replying To omahant:  "With 4 of 6, maybe IPL format is better - i.e. 1v2, loser to SF & 3v4 QF, winner to SF."
The Joe Mac will have a 2nd v 3rd semi final next year. I suppose if it is deemed somewhat successful, it might extend to the other tiers as well - though that might require the lower tier triple header being on the same day as the Munster hurling final.
Usually the top 2 from a group of 4 progress to knockouts. The top 3 in Munster and Leinster have always progressed to knockout. If that's the only change lower tier counties might want - so be it. Probably long overdue.
The top 3 and New York entering semi finals might pose a conundrum. Would the group winner play 3rd or New York? It's currently bizarre that New York parachute in for a semi final and it's put in a neutral venue. The side finishing 2nd after 5 games should at least get home game.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9973 - 16/07/2026 16:41:39    2685960

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