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Replying To legendzxix: "The 3 consecutive weekends in football is a big demand on players. If the league and provincial championships are to remain untouched, the following could be an option:
Connacht and Munster finals
Leinster and Ulster finals
All Ireland Round 1 consisting of 16 qualifiers. Higher 8 on league ranking against lower 8, separate draw for home game.
All Ireland Round 2A: Provincial winners at home to Seeds 2 on league ranking. All Ireland Round 2B: Seeds 3 v Seeds 4, separate draw for home game.
Round 3: 2A losers v 2B winners
Quarter finals...
The 8 teams missing out on Round 1 into Tailteann Cup of 8. Round 2A winners with home advantage in semi finals.
The 8 teams losing in Round 1 could enter a straight knockout 'Mid Tier' Cup. The semi finals could be a curtain raiser to some All Ireland Round 3 games.
It could be possible to have the Tailteann Cup and 'Mid Tier' Cup finals as a double header in Croke Park on the weekend before the quarter finals. Tailteann and 'Mid Tier' winners guaranteed a home game in All Ireland Round 1 of the following year as a carrot for winning both competitions." I'd think if you were going 3 tiers they need to be proper championships where teams get a good number of games.
If you'd 12, 10, 10, in groups of 6 and 5, you could actually start the lower tiers the week of the Ulster and Leinster finals because there has to be bye teams anyway.
Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4725 - 07/07/2026 20:05:31
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Replying To legendzxix: "The 3 consecutive weekends in football is a big demand on players. If the league and provincial championships are to remain untouched, the following could be an option:
Connacht and Munster finals
Leinster and Ulster finals
All Ireland Round 1 consisting of 16 qualifiers. Higher 8 on league ranking against lower 8, separate draw for home game.
All Ireland Round 2A: Provincial winners at home to Seeds 2 on league ranking. All Ireland Round 2B: Seeds 3 v Seeds 4, separate draw for home game.
Round 3: 2A losers v 2B winners
Quarter finals...
The 8 teams missing out on Round 1 into Tailteann Cup of 8. Round 2A winners with home advantage in semi finals.
The 8 teams losing in Round 1 could enter a straight knockout 'Mid Tier' Cup. The semi finals could be a curtain raiser to some All Ireland Round 3 games.
It could be possible to have the Tailteann Cup and 'Mid Tier' Cup finals as a double header in Croke Park on the weekend before the quarter finals. Tailteann and 'Mid Tier' winners guaranteed a home game in All Ireland Round 1 of the following year as a carrot for winning both competitions." If we did go back to groups you probably could have a better schedule, with promotion somewhat determined by the previous season's All Ireland.
Start All Ireland in week 8 you have 9 weeks to get to All Ireland final day.
Week 1 Group round 1
Week 2 Group round 2
Week 3 Break
Week 4 Group round 3
Week 5 Quarterfinals
Week 6 Break
Week 7 Semifinals
With 3 tiers and 3 groups of 4 in tier 1 and 2 groups of 5 in the lower tiers you can get the lower tiers started alongside Provincial finals and only have provincial champions guaranteed a place in tier 1.
Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4725 - 08/07/2026 09:48:47
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Replying To Whammo86: "I'd think if you were going 3 tiers they need to be proper championships where teams get a good number of games.
If you'd 12, 10, 10, in groups of 6 and 5, you could actually start the lower tiers the week of the Ulster and Leinster finals because there has to be bye teams anyway." I'll respond to both posts. Group stage is not on the agenda. Reason: dead rubbers, whether people like that reason or not.
The GPA want to avoid 3 consecutive weekends. Supposedly they might be open to league finals only being dropped, meaning league rounds 3-4-5 might still be on consecutive weekends. A knockout All Ireland Round 1 of 16 qualifiers would help avoid 3 consecutive weekends in the All Ireland championship.
Provincial semi finalists could be included in the 16 qualifiers, with an exclusion exception that the 3 counties who have a bye to their semi finals cannot qualify through the provincial route, but must rely on the league route.
I think I get your push back on 3 tiers. At the same time, losing in a knockout Round 1 of 16 qualifiers could be anyone's second game. The 8 Round 1 losers entering quarter finals of a competition that would guarantee Round 1 home advantage in the following year can be a compromise.
A county like Antrim would have to work on winning an Ulster quarter final to get through as a provincial qualifier or improve league ranking.
Suggestion...
All Ireland Round 1 - 16 qualifiers: 8 higher league ranked v 8 lower league ranked, separate draw for home game.
Round 2A - provincial winners at home v Seeds 2 on league ranking. Everyone's target should be to get to 2A through provincial win or league placing.
Round 2B - Seeds 3 v Seeds 4 on league ranking, separate draw for home game.
Round 3 - 2A losers at home v 2B winners. 2A would be heavyweight clashes, which arguably should mean home game in R3.
Quarter finals - 2A winners v R3 winners.
Scheduling....
League - 1, 2, off, 3, 4, 5, off, 6, 7 and off before provincial championships.
The provincial championships could actually be played over 7 weekends, thus avoiding some preliminary round winners playing on consecutive weekends...
1. Leinster and Ulster preliminary
2. Connacht and Munster quarters
3. Leinster and Ulster quarters
4. Connacht and Munster semis
5. Leinster and Ulster semis
6. Connacht and Munster finals
7. Leinster and Ulster finals
8. All Ireland Round 1 of 16 qualifiers
9. Rounds 2A and 2B
Off
10. Round 3
Off
11. Quarter finals and onwards...
legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9949 - 09/07/2026 02:26:53
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Replying To legendzxix: "I'll respond to both posts. Group stage is not on the agenda. Reason: dead rubbers, whether people like that reason or not.
The GPA want to avoid 3 consecutive weekends. Supposedly they might be open to league finals only being dropped, meaning league rounds 3-4-5 might still be on consecutive weekends. A knockout All Ireland Round 1 of 16 qualifiers would help avoid 3 consecutive weekends in the All Ireland championship.
Provincial semi finalists could be included in the 16 qualifiers, with an exclusion exception that the 3 counties who have a bye to their semi finals cannot qualify through the provincial route, but must rely on the league route.
I think I get your push back on 3 tiers. At the same time, losing in a knockout Round 1 of 16 qualifiers could be anyone's second game. The 8 Round 1 losers entering quarter finals of a competition that would guarantee Round 1 home advantage in the following year can be a compromise.
A county like Antrim would have to work on winning an Ulster quarter final to get through as a provincial qualifier or improve league ranking.
Suggestion...
All Ireland Round 1 - 16 qualifiers: 8 higher league ranked v 8 lower league ranked, separate draw for home game.
Round 2A - provincial winners at home v Seeds 2 on league ranking. Everyone's target should be to get to 2A through provincial win or league placing.
Round 2B - Seeds 3 v Seeds 4 on league ranking, separate draw for home game.
Round 3 - 2A losers at home v 2B winners. 2A would be heavyweight clashes, which arguably should mean home game in R3.
Quarter finals - 2A winners v R3 winners.
Scheduling....
League - 1, 2, off, 3, 4, 5, off, 6, 7 and off before provincial championships.
The provincial championships could actually be played over 7 weekends, thus avoiding some preliminary round winners playing on consecutive weekends...
1. Leinster and Ulster preliminary
2. Connacht and Munster quarters
3. Leinster and Ulster quarters
4. Connacht and Munster semis
5. Leinster and Ulster semis
6. Connacht and Munster finals
7. Leinster and Ulster finals
8. All Ireland Round 1 of 16 qualifiers
9. Rounds 2A and 2B
Off
10. Round 3
Off
11. Quarter finals and onwards..." Jez i must be slow. Ive read your post 3 times and havent a clue how your proposal works.
anotheralias (Galway) - Posts: 1089 - 09/07/2026 10:14:47
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Replying To legendzxix: "I'll respond to both posts. Group stage is not on the agenda. Reason: dead rubbers, whether people like that reason or not.
The GPA want to avoid 3 consecutive weekends. Supposedly they might be open to league finals only being dropped, meaning league rounds 3-4-5 might still be on consecutive weekends. A knockout All Ireland Round 1 of 16 qualifiers would help avoid 3 consecutive weekends in the All Ireland championship.
Provincial semi finalists could be included in the 16 qualifiers, with an exclusion exception that the 3 counties who have a bye to their semi finals cannot qualify through the provincial route, but must rely on the league route.
I think I get your push back on 3 tiers. At the same time, losing in a knockout Round 1 of 16 qualifiers could be anyone's second game. The 8 Round 1 losers entering quarter finals of a competition that would guarantee Round 1 home advantage in the following year can be a compromise.
A county like Antrim would have to work on winning an Ulster quarter final to get through as a provincial qualifier or improve league ranking.
Suggestion...
All Ireland Round 1 - 16 qualifiers: 8 higher league ranked v 8 lower league ranked, separate draw for home game.
Round 2A - provincial winners at home v Seeds 2 on league ranking. Everyone's target should be to get to 2A through provincial win or league placing.
Round 2B - Seeds 3 v Seeds 4 on league ranking, separate draw for home game.
Round 3 - 2A losers at home v 2B winners. 2A would be heavyweight clashes, which arguably should mean home game in R3.
Quarter finals - 2A winners v R3 winners.
Scheduling....
League - 1, 2, off, 3, 4, 5, off, 6, 7 and off before provincial championships.
The provincial championships could actually be played over 7 weekends, thus avoiding some preliminary round winners playing on consecutive weekends...
1. Leinster and Ulster preliminary
2. Connacht and Munster quarters
3. Leinster and Ulster quarters
4. Connacht and Munster semis
5. Leinster and Ulster semis
6. Connacht and Munster finals
7. Leinster and Ulster finals
8. All Ireland Round 1 of 16 qualifiers
9. Rounds 2A and 2B
Off
10. Round 3
Off
11. Quarter finals and onwards..." You can design a group stage without dead rubbers.
Top 2 through, 3rd place retain their place, 4th place have to qualify through the league or Provincial championship.
As I've said before the hurling championship has dead rubbers.
Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4725 - 09/07/2026 16:04:34
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Replying To Whammo86: "You can design a group stage without dead rubbers.
Top 2 through, 3rd place retain their place, 4th place have to qualify through the league or Provincial championship.
As I've said before the hurling championship has dead rubbers." Group systems work best when there's relegation/promotion.
A bit of jeopardy for finishing bottom.
Current format is a half way house between Group and Knock out formats, which I suspect is here for the foreseeable future.
Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 731 - 09/07/2026 16:44:25
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Replying To Whammo86: "You can design a group stage without dead rubbers.
Top 2 through, 3rd place retain their place, 4th place have to qualify through the league or Provincial championship.
As I've said before the hurling championship has dead rubbers." I know the hurling championship has dead rubbers. It seems a no no in football from the Super 8s.
Entertaining your group stage talk anyway: 4 provincial winners and the Tailteann winner means not all 3rd placed teams in 4 groups of 4 can retain their place. It might suit that 3rd placed teams playoff for 2 retaining places. 6 places are then vacant for Tailteann winner, Division 1 winner and provincial winners. 3rd place retain their place, 4th place have to qualify through the league or Provincial championship.
legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9949 - 09/07/2026 18:11:51
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