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How Do We Take Hurling On From Here

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "And , as you have pointed out yourself a few times, wexford have been competitive in Bob as have Dublin. Its not reflected in the attendances though.

In relation to Wexford, in particular, I always find that puzzling. You cant sell out an 18k capacity wexford park for your championship fixtures but bring 40k plus to CP any time you are any good. That baffles me. Perhaps if the people got behind the team ye wouldnt slip up so often( as described by you)."
Often wondered that myself Tadhg2020.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18908 - 24/03/2026 19:28:08    2662953

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "Yet oddly enough since the beginning of the round robin Limerick have been more dominant in Munster than Kilkenny in Leinster."
Well yes. They have been the standout team in country.

Be interesting to see how Cats go this year. Huge game v Galway first day. This be at intensity of final I imagine.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 4108 - 24/03/2026 19:30:20    2662954

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "I think its 6 each since 2018. I know it wasn't a round robin for all 8 years but its the same. I can say this though, and i hope its not the case, but kilkenny will win far more Bob cups than limerick will win munster championships in the next 10 years. Thats just the nature of Munster whereas kilkenny have well over 70 Bob wins."
Genuine question here - why is it you keep referring to the Leinster Championship as "the Bob cup", but when you're talking about the Munster Championship, you actually call it the Munster Championship?

The trophy there is the Mick Mackey Cup. So why do you not call the championship itself "the Mick cup"?

And on a point of order, Kilkenny don't have well over 70 "Bob" wins.

The first Bob O'Keeffe Cup wasn't presented until 1950. Kilkenny have won it "only" 46 times, not well over 70.

See how it would be better even for yourself if you just called it "the Leinster Championship" rather than sticking with "the Bob cup" ?

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3427 - 24/03/2026 21:27:25    2662971

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "I think its 6 each since 2018. I know it wasn't a round robin for all 8 years but its the same. I can say this though, and i hope its not the case, but kilkenny will win far more Bob cups than limerick will win munster championships in the next 10 years. Thats just the nature of Munster whereas kilkenny have well over 70 Bob wins."
Unfortunately that's just the nature of the beast. Leinster had only two teams for an awfully long time. I grew up going to the Leinster final every year, and we'd be competitive in half of them. I haven't seen us win near enough.

It's strange in the last few years. I'd always be confident playing them but as Viking mentioned we're dropping points against the bottom team most years.

Tipp and cork between them have been mighty impressive. Yourselves obviously in recent years. Kilkenny have won the most all Irelands as well of course. They're poor by their own standards but they'll always find ways to win. I do think Limerick have changed the game though.

As much as I enjoy the Munster championship, the media certainly lean into it a lot which irritates me. The newspapers nearly discourage people from watching Leinster. 23 would be a good example. Ourselves an Kilkenny was one of the best games of the season and it wasn't broadcast.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4348 - 24/03/2026 21:46:18    2662978

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Genuine question here - why is it you keep referring to the Leinster Championship as "the Bob cup", but when you're talking about the Munster Championship, you actually call it the Munster Championship?

The trophy there is the Mick Mackey Cup. So why do you not call the championship itself "the Mick cup"?

And on a point of order, Kilkenny don't have well over 70 "Bob" wins.

The first Bob O'Keeffe Cup wasn't presented until 1950. Kilkenny have won it "only" 46 times, not well over 70.

See how it would be better even for yourself if you just called it "the Leinster Championship" rather than sticking with "the Bob cup" ?"
A lad i know from Wexford always refers to it as the Bob O Keeffe. He says it stopped being the Leinster Championship when Galway were let in. Im not sure if Antrim came in at same time or not but he only ever referenced Galway. Hes still very against it Iwhile think it was a good move for the championship he has a point when he says its not the leinster championship anymore. Then you added the 6th team and it became a lesser competition in my view so I call it the Bob O Keeffe now too.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 120 - 24/03/2026 22:49:07    2662995

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Genuine question here - why is it you keep referring to the Leinster Championship as "the Bob cup", but when you're talking about the Munster Championship, you actually call it the Munster Championship?

The trophy there is the Mick Mackey Cup. So why do you not call the championship itself "the Mick cup"?

And on a point of order, Kilkenny don't have well over 70 "Bob" wins.

The first Bob O'Keeffe Cup wasn't presented until 1950. Kilkenny have won it "only" 46 times, not well over 70.

See how it would be better even for yourself if you just called it "the Leinster Championship" rather than sticking with "the Bob cup" ?"
Oh and thanks. I didnt know that about the naming date of the Bob. I actually didnt know it was called the Bob O Keeffe Cup until my friend started to call it that.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 120 - 24/03/2026 22:51:29    2662996

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "I think its 6 each since 2018. I know it wasn't a round robin for all 8 years but its the same. I can say this though, and i hope its not the case, but kilkenny will win far more Bob cups than limerick will win munster championships in the next 10 years. Thats just the nature of Munster whereas kilkenny have well over 70 Bob wins."
If you are going back in history Cork have 55 Mickeys :-D

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18908 - 24/03/2026 23:15:12    2663000

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "Unfortunately that's just the nature of the beast. Leinster had only two teams for an awfully long time. I grew up going to the Leinster final every year, and we'd be competitive in half of them. I haven't seen us win near enough.

It's strange in the last few years. I'd always be confident playing them but as Viking mentioned we're dropping points against the bottom team most years.

Tipp and cork between them have been mighty impressive. Yourselves obviously in recent years. Kilkenny have won the most all Irelands as well of course. They're poor by their own standards but they'll always find ways to win. I do think Limerick have changed the game though.

As much as I enjoy the Munster championship, the media certainly lean into it a lot which irritates me. The newspapers nearly discourage people from watching Leinster. 23 would be a good example. Ourselves an Kilkenny was one of the best games of the season and it wasn't broadcast."
Ive always enjoyed the Munster Championship, and have been supporting Limerick in it since the mid 90s, on account of friends up there. To this day Id still stay between 8 and 10 Saturday nights up there between Kilmallock and Moroe and inside in the City, and one of my best friends who sadly died of cancer in 2019 was a Ballybricken man. At least, as he said it himself just before he died, he got to see Limerick bring Liam home, he was only a baby in 1973.
Agree its sickening the way the media run down the Leinster Championship the whole time. Crowds are smaller because most of the Leinster counties dont have as large a hurling base as the Munster counties, and you couldn't blame your average Galway hurling person for not being that bothered with Leinster, why would they be, they arent Leinster people.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18908 - 25/03/2026 07:50:02    2663005

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Replying To Viking66:  "If you are going back in history Cork have 55 Mickeys :-D"
Ah, no they don't. The MIck Mackey Cup has only been presented since 2022. Before that, the trophy for the Munster Hurling Championship didn't have a name at all.

So, Cork have only one Mickey.
Limerick have three Mickeys.
Tipperary, Clare, and Waterford don't have any Mickeys at all.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3427 - 25/03/2026 09:28:13    2663020

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Kilkenny, Galway, Dublin and Wexford battling for 2 spots would be more intense. Maybe Leinster should reflect on if it would suit their championship better until a 5th strong contender emerges.
Munster could always retain a Munster playoff between their runner up and their third placed team for an All Ireland semi-final spot.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9577 - 25/03/2026 11:31:30    2663049

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Ah, no they don't. The MIck Mackey Cup has only been presented since 2022. Before that, the trophy for the Munster Hurling Championship didn't have a name at all.

So, Cork have only one Mickey.
Limerick have three Mickeys.
Tipperary, Clare, and Waterford don't have any Mickeys at all."
I know that Pikeman, I was only having the craic! Ive a very good friend who I stay with in Limerick sometimes when Im up there, he is a nephew of the great man, Ive actually held some of the medals he won!

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18908 - 25/03/2026 12:04:29    2663059

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Replying To Viking66:  "I know that Pikeman, I was only having the craic! Ive a very good friend who I stay with in Limerick sometimes when Im up there, he is a nephew of the great man, Ive actually held some of the medals he won!"
I just thought it was funnier to say that three counties don't have any MIckeys :D

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3427 - 25/03/2026 12:21:41    2663063

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Replying To legendzxix:  "Kilkenny, Galway, Dublin and Wexford battling for 2 spots would be more intense. Maybe Leinster should reflect on if it would suit their championship better until a 5th strong contender emerges.
Munster could always retain a Munster playoff between their runner up and their third placed team for an All Ireland semi-final spot."
And then you'd be back to the argument from other Leinster counties of "how are we supposed to improve if you don't let us play regularly at the top level?"

Also, if you had that Munster playoff, you'd have a situation where the runner-up in the supposedly weaker championship (Leinster) would be guaranteed an All-Ireland semi-final place, but the runner-up in the supposedly stronger one (Munster) wouldn't be. How do you think that would go down?

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3427 - 25/03/2026 12:25:19    2663065

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Incidentally, was going to say in my post about "the Mickey" earlier that the trophy for the Munster Senior Football Championship still doesn't have a name. But have just seen a story on the news page of this site that it's now got a name after all, and is to be called after Paidi O'Shea.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3427 - 25/03/2026 12:26:42    2663066

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "I just thought it was funnier to say that three counties don't have any MIckeys :D"
:-D

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 18908 - 25/03/2026 13:35:04    2663082

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BTW - Absolute madness having Dublin/Clare on in the same venue with Cork/Lim for league final. Surely, Thurles would have made more sense. I appreciate these decisions are probably made well in advance of the final, but how about the application of some common sense for a change? Obviously, Clare are very happy.

bloodandbandage (Cork) - Posts: 478 - 25/03/2026 14:01:25    2663086

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Replying To legendzxix:  "Kilkenny, Galway, Dublin and Wexford battling for 2 spots would be more intense. Maybe Leinster should reflect on if it would suit their championship better until a 5th strong contender emerges.
Munster could always retain a Munster playoff between their runner up and their third placed team for an All Ireland semi-final spot."
But having Kerry in there would also make it more intense? If Kerry win Joe Mac - and best of luck in that - then they should be promoted to Munster with either bottom team relegated or extended to six. Last would surely be acceptable.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 4108 - 25/03/2026 14:15:40    2663088

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "And then you'd be back to the argument from other Leinster counties of "how are we supposed to improve if you don't let us play regularly at the top level?"

Also, if you had that Munster playoff, you'd have a situation where the runner-up in the supposedly weaker championship (Leinster) would be guaranteed an All-Ireland semi-final place, but the runner-up in the supposedly stronger one (Munster) wouldn't be. How do you think that would go down?"
That would be a Munster matter. They could either match Leinster with top 2 only or else facilitate 2nd v 3rd if that is their preference. Provinces should have some leeway to get the more competitive structure that suits them.
The Joe Mac is adopting a 2nd v 3rd semi final from next year. Ring and lower will still have top 2, except for the facilitation of New York.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9577 - 25/03/2026 14:25:15    2663100

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Replying To bloodandbandage:  "BTW - Absolute madness having Dublin/Clare on in the same venue with Cork/Lim for league final. Surely, Thurles would have made more sense. I appreciate these decisions are probably made well in advance of the final, but how about the application of some common sense for a change? Obviously, Clare are very happy."
Wouldn't mind that so much but not looking great for ticket allocation. I have Parnell Pass and doesn't seem we have one and don't really want to be going back to club and looking for them ahead of currently active playing members. Will do if needs be!

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 4108 - 25/03/2026 14:26:04    2663101

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "But having Kerry in there would also make it more intense? If Kerry win Joe Mac - and best of luck in that - then they should be promoted to Munster with either bottom team relegated or extended to six. Last would surely be acceptable."
That's already been ruled on. Joe Mac winner determines which province has 6 teams. If Kerry ever win the Joe Mac - Munster will have 6 and Leinster will have 5 for a year.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9577 - 25/03/2026 14:53:39    2663113

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