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Allianz National Leagues 2026

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Replying To Viking66:  "Football and hurling?"
Yes looking at the fixtures on hoganstand theres a two week break for both codes. 3 weeks would be the sweet spot in my opinion but 2 weeks is better than the 1 week last year

Afinestick96 (Wexford) - Posts: 826 - 15/01/2026 15:06:10    2651181

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Replying To Commodore:  "You don't need a league final to get run out in Croke Park before the business end of the season, as I said in my previous message, a solution might be for all teams to get a league game in Croke. So 3 home, 3 away matches and 1 neutral game in Croker. That would give more teams a game in Croker, not just the league finalists."
There's people from your own county who were whinging about playing All Ireland semi final in Croke Park! Now you think Donegal league games there other than when against Dublin. And then you have same people whinging that it's not in Parnell!

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3909 - 15/01/2026 15:12:27    2651183

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Replying To Viking66:  "Think the finals should be scrapped anyway. A League should be a League, whoever finishes top of the table should win that Division. There are too many games."
You're correct, whoever finishes top of the league should be the winners. It was farcical in Tyrone some time ago that a team played 15, won 15 and didn't win the league. I think it was your aul stamping ground The Island.

Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2538 - 15/01/2026 15:13:26    2651184

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "There's people from your own county who were whinging about playing All Ireland semi final in Croke Park! Now you think Donegal league games there other than when against Dublin. And then you have same people whinging that it's not in Parnell!"
When did we ever have an issue with playing an All Ireland semi final in Croke Park??

We don't get to many AI semi finals so we're only glad of the opportunity to play them there.

peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1411 - 15/01/2026 15:44:32    2651187

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Replying To Saynothing:  "You're correct, whoever finishes top of the league should be the winners. It was farcical in Tyrone some time ago that a team played 15, won 15 and didn't win the league. I think it was your aul stamping ground The Island."
2012

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17992 - 15/01/2026 15:49:22    2651189

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Replying To Afinestick96:  "Yes looking at the fixtures on hoganstand theres a two week break for both codes. 3 weeks would be the sweet spot in my opinion but 2 weeks is better than the 1 week last year"
Its better ok, but, as you say, still not ideal

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17992 - 15/01/2026 15:50:11    2651191

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "There's people from your own county who were whinging about playing All Ireland semi final in Croke Park! Now you think Donegal league games there other than when against Dublin. And then you have same people whinging that it's not in Parnell!"
I think you have possibly mixed that up, Donegal fans were annoyed at the selection of Dr Hyde Park for the neutral group match with Mayo, as a big portion of Donegal fans would have to travel 3,5 hours, while the majority of Mayo fans could do it in 1.5 hours. A lot of Donegal fans were questioning why the GAA couldn't schedule it for somewhere more central between both Counties, which I think is reasonable enough.

If the justification for keeping the National League finals is to give a few Counties a run in Croke Park before Championship, then my suggestion is for everyone to play 3 home match, 3 away matches and 1 game at Croke Park every year and have top of the table win the league.

No harm in people complaining (Or Whinging), that is generally what pushes things to improve.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1559 - 15/01/2026 16:56:00    2651206

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Replying To legendzxix:  "If county boards would vote for it. I don't think they will. With the weekend off after the league finals - all losing quarter finalists should be targeting a league final. Namely Galway and Armagh."
Top of the league table should automatically be league champions.

League finals take away from it in my opinion, I understand that Kerry might welcome an extra game because of Munster Championship at present, but even a league final is a good while before the All Ireland series, so its not even a benefit for you.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1559 - 15/01/2026 17:00:21    2651208

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Replying To peiledoir20:  "When did we ever have an issue with playing an All Ireland semi final in Croke Park??

We don't get to many AI semi finals so we're only glad of the opportunity to play them there."
Ah there was one at least!

Only joking by the way. League should be better promoted by local county boards too. A few ads boost attendances. In fairness Donegal have one of best league attendances.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3909 - 15/01/2026 17:05:53    2651212

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Replying To peiledoir20:  "When did we ever have an issue with playing an All Ireland semi final in Croke Park??

We don't get to many AI semi finals so we're only glad of the opportunity to play them there."
Welĺ ye sure had an issue of playing us in the hyde where did ye want it in Donegal I'd say ?..!

S1234 (Mayo) - Posts: 653 - 15/01/2026 17:36:11    2651219

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"Meanwhile, Leddy also welcomed the GAA's proposed inter-county certification programme, describing it as long overdue and essential to tackle the "runaway train" of inter-county team costs.

The Munster CEO also issued his desire that the certification would prevent counties from entering teams in inter-county competitions where their competitive adult team numbers fell below a practical number.

"No county with two or three adult club teams should have an inter-county team. As I said in a previous report, this practice has done nothing for the promotion of hurling, in particular, and money spent on these teams could have been better spent promoting the games and funding regional club competitions.""

Are there essentially some false inter hurling county teams being entered into the league and lower tier hurling championships? Should the thorny issue of amalgamated counties be considered?

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9352 - 15/01/2026 18:19:48    2651228

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"Down GAA club Saval has withdrawn a motion to its County Board, due to be heard tonight, calling for the county's teams to be withdrawn from the forthcoming leagues because of the Allianz sponsorship of the competitions."
Saval took a veiled swipe at the silence from other clubs, counties and the GPA.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9352 - 15/01/2026 21:45:48    2651248

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