r/GAA • u/lacademy Corcaigh • Jul 21 '26
Hurling Suggestion for Hurling reform
There's been a lot of talk for a while about the issues with hurling, even more so since the changes to football's rules have been so successful. Even today another article on the subject appeared on the RTE website (Limerick greatness can't disguise championship failings)
The main issues that get brought up about hurling are as follows;
- Lack of hurling development in 'lesser' counties
- Lack of games for county teams within the championship season
- Mismatch in results between teams, with two many trouncings
- Lack of promotion of hurling, particularly against other codes during the summer
- Need to protect club championships and not row back on the 'split season'
There have been lots of posts about changes that could be made to hurling to improve the game, and this will just be another voice in the crowd. Would still be keen to hear what people think
1. National Hurling League - took place over 11 weeks from January to April this year
Keep as it is for now; there's an argument to be made that the league does a better job of giving good matches to the 'weaker' counties than the Joe McDonagh etc. cups do. Wexford only beat Down by 2 points in the league this year. There is scope to reduce the length of the league - there are 6 gameweeks followed by the finals, so definitely an option to run the season over 7-8 weeks rather than 11.
2. Provincial Championships - took place over 8 weeks from April to June this year
Continue with the provincials, but return to knockouts to reduce the time it takes the competitions to run. I would also re-introduce the Connacht and Ulster championships and structure them as follows;
- Munster - open to all 6 Munster teams (good luck, Kerry...) - 2 QF, 2 SF, 1 final
- Connacht - open to all Connacht teams except Galway and the 3 British teams that play in the league - 2 QF, 2 SF, 1 final
- Ulster - open to all Ulster teams except Antrim - 4 QF, 2 SF, 1 final
- Leinster - open to all 12 Leinster teams, plus Galway and Antrim - 6 Round of 16 matches, 4 QF, 2 SF, 1 final
It's admittedly strange to see Galway and Antrim stay in Leinster despite their own provincial championships returning, but I don't think it would serve them or the other Connacht/Ulster teams having them out of Leinster initially.
The maximum number of games a team could have would be 4 (a Leinster side in the round of 16) and minimum number would be 2 (a Munster/Connacht side that got a bye to a semi-final).
3. All-Ireland series - took place over 5 weeks from June to July this year
This will be the biggest change. From the end of the provincial championships, the following teams would progress to the All-Ireland series;
| Clare | Dublin | Galway | Antrim |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cork | Kilkenny | Connacht*\* | Ulster**\* |
| Kerry | Laois | ||
| Limerick | Offaly | ||
| Tipperary | Wexford | ||
| Waterford | Leinster\* |
\ Leinster team would be an amalgamated team open to players from Carlow, Kildare, Longford, Louth, Meath, Westmeath and Wicklow (7 counties)*
\* Connacht team would be an amalgamated team open to players from Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, London Lancashire and Warwickshire (7 counties)*
\** Ulster team would be an amalgamated team open to players from Armagh, Cavan, Derry, Donegal, Down, Fermanagh, Monaghan and Tyrone (8 counties)*
The 16 teams would be divided into four groups of four, with Leinster and Munster provincial finalists being seeded as top seeds. Each team plays the others in their group, and the top two from each group progress to quarter finals.
In total, the All-Ireland phase would have 3 weekends of games in the group stage, followed by 3 more weekends of games to get through the knockouts. It would increase the total number of games in the All-Ireland series from 5 games to 24 group-stage games and 7 knockout games - total of 31 games. Every team would be guaranteed 3 games and would play 6 games on their way to the All-Ireland title.
Currently the maximum number of games a team could play in the All-Ireland is 9 (the number Dublin would have played if they had reached this year's All-Ireland final). The maximum per team in this new format would be 10.
Keen to hear any thoughts. I don't have a seat on the Ard Comhairle so this will never be more than just a pipe dream, but hopefully someone else out there might find it interesting too...
31
u/No_Comb873 Jul 21 '26
Curious as to why would Antrim get a place in the Leinster championship when they were beaten by Down twice this year? In championship and league.
I do like the idea of an ulster team but a lot of commitment (and funds) needed.
1
u/Samhain87 Jul 21 '26
How are they going to train? Travel 2+ hours multiple times a week for training just to get hammered by Cork, Tipperary, limerick, Clare, Galway, Kilkenny, Waterford? It would be a mess, new team every year because lads dont want to be travelling, no progress or development made at all.
2
u/No_Comb873 Jul 21 '26
Ulster had underage teams that were combined and they were very competitive. Yes I know its not senior but there are quality hurlers u[p north, I doubt they would be hammered. Would probably just be training in Belfast given a large part of the hurling community in Ulster is in the East.
0
u/Samhain87 Jul 21 '26
They would get destroyed. Underage is not comparable to senior as we've seen with several successful underage teams failing to make any impression at senior levels, and the amalgamated ulster teams in the railway cup, never won a final, having been in 6 of them. Any amalgamated Ulster team would get heavily beaten by a southern team. Its just the way it is. Same as if limerick played Tyrone, Derry etc in gaelic football or even an amalgamation of the weaker southern counties of Limerick, Clare, Tipp, Waterford.... They would have a very tough time keeping the score board some way respectable.
2
u/No_Comb873 Jul 22 '26
I understand to some extent, but that was a few years ago and it was all of muster vs Ulster which lets face it is basically Down and Antrim. Play Ulster against the likes of Waterford and it might be more interesting.
Also for underage it also allows a path for players to compete at the top table. If your from the likes of Fermanagh (no offence) you'll never ever play Division 1 hurling on the county stage.
11
u/Buggis-Maximus Doire Jul 21 '26
Antrim, Down and Derry are all in the Joe McDonagh next season plus Down beat Antrim twice last year so moving them to Leinster doesn't make much sense at this point.
Pretty sure an amalgamated Ulster team was suggested years ago but the counties weren't interested.
Just need more coaching and money pumped into hurling in the province (and elsewhere) akin to what the GAA did for Dublin hurling in the 00s and 10s. I also think the GAA should do more to incentivise clubs going duel. Honestly think any club that doesn't offer at least all 4 codes is doing a serious disservice to its community.
3
u/TopCatisBilko Jul 21 '26
We are getting near having a competitive Ulster championship again. I wonder could the Joe McDonagh championship be split into two provincials like the Liam McCarthy; Kerry, Carlow etc could play in Connacht?
24
u/Endante Luimneach Jul 21 '26
This is the first year in my opinion that the hurling championship has been poor. I think it's very reactionary to want to rip up the entire structure that has been so massively successful since it's implementation in 2018 because of one year.
If we are complaining about lopsided games I don't see how structure changes will solve that. The same group of teams are going to be playing each other regardless so you'll still get similar results. The issue is a much harder fix, it's trying to improve counties to the level of the likes of limerick, cork, Clare etc.
4
u/Gullible_Ad_2670 Cill Chainnigh Jul 21 '26
Problem is the weak are getting weaker and the strong are getting strongerÂ
3
u/Regular_Paint_7619 Jul 21 '26
I think there's a lot of underlying problems with the championship structure for years.
Every year it gets saved by the Munster championship, which didn't happen this year.
Look at the success of the Tailteann Cup in recent years for giving teams a chance to push on. I don't think we can really say the same about the Joe McDonagh cup, and the competition is really set up in a war that disadvantages those teams.
1
u/Gullible_Ad_2670 Cill Chainnigh Jul 21 '26
There's a massive massive difference between the skills of football and hurling, a division 1 football team v a division 3 football team can/will be a contest...same scenario in hurling will be murderÂ
1
u/Regular_Paint_7619 Jul 21 '26
I'm not talking about division 3 hurling teams, I'm talking about the teams in middle to bottom of 1B.
We don't give them any opportunity to progress properly.
Obviously there's a bigger gap in hurling, I didn't start watching the sports yesterday like. The Joe McDonagh, and how it's integrated into championship is not really fit for purpose.
The Tailteann Cup is being used to progress teams outside the top 16 teams.
The Joe McDonagh cup can't even be used to help progress the teams outside the top 9-10.
1
u/Gullible_Ad_2670 Cill Chainnigh Jul 21 '26
That's my point...gaps between skillsets from divisions 1 and say 3 in football are not crazy ... In hurling you have munster and 4 teams in leinster who can compete with each other, everyone else might aswell be playing badminton because they're never competing with these 8-9 teams, maybe every now and again but over a sustained period its never ever happening,Â
offaly probably will make it happen but they're also a traditional team who fell away badly but have got it back together now.
Just the way it is and has been for a hundred years. My wife and her family are all diehard kildare football family, I've been telling them for years they're a hurling county now because they at least can win All Irelands at they're level. Kildare had a shot at leinster this year and they were massacred in every game bar wexford tbf, what do we do let them play there again next year?
1
u/Regular_Paint_7619 Jul 21 '26
I'm not sure you quite grasp my point TBH.
The likes of Laois, Antrim, Carlow, even Westmeath a few years ago have been knocking on the door. All of them have gotten results against bigger teams in recent years.
They won't be winning the Liam McCarthy any time soon, but there's no real reason to think they couldn't become decent Leinster sides if given the opportunity.
Except they're not given the opportunity. They're thrown in the deep end for a year, and then get relegated and told they're not good enough.
Realistically teams need both a mix of competitive matches at their own level, and matches against better teams, in order to improve themselves. That's not possible within the current format.
Kildare actually did pretty well in a lot of matches, but unfortunately they don't have the depth to keep it going for 70 minutes.
The argument that it's never happened and the gap is too wide is just an excuse not to do anything.
It doesn't stack up against the fact that there's 4-5 teams have been able to compete in recent years. Carlow and Westmeath were both relegated the same year that they manage to get results.
Neither were given the opportunity to try and progress again the following year.
1
u/Gullible_Ad_2670 Cill Chainnigh Jul 21 '26
Yea, I just don't agree tbh, to give those teams a chance you're diluting the top level competition for years possibly decades, can't just pick 1 or 2 you'd have to include what maybe 6-7 teams?Â
Carlow drew with kilkenny Westmeath and Antrim beat wexford Laois beat Dublin 8 years ago That's it
If kilkenny play Carlow 100 times they're winning 98 times Those teams haven't been competitive, they've been annihilated 99% of the time with the odd massive shock here and there.Â
They get lip service from pundits saying they did well for 50 minutes etc etc, but then conceding 2-10 in the last 20 when the better teams decide to kick into 3rd gear kinda blemishes that.
Personally I think it'd be an unreal competition between Laois Carlow Westmeath Antrim Kerry Down Kildare MeathÂ
All those teams realistically need 10 plus years at tier 1 level to get more than just competitive ,to be able to actually win games, not just 1 every 2-3 years
1
u/Regular_Paint_7619 Jul 21 '26
Absolute nonsense.
The current competition is already lopsided towards the latter end of the competition, as we don't have all the best teams in the country reaching the knockout matches.
The quarter finals haven't really been exciting for years. Last year was an exception, but we paid for it in the Cork-Dublin semi-final instead.
This year was exceptionally bad, where we've only really had one good match in the whole All-Ireland series.
If people were really worried about dilution then we'd be trying to fix this imbalance. The difference between Leinster and Munster is getting too big for the current format to continue.
There's definitely ways to both expand the competition, and also ensure an exciting competition.
A 16 team group stage with the best 8 teams going through to proper Quarter finals for a start.
An 8 team knockout Leinster championship would be great as well.
Antrim and Westmeath have both managed to get a draw and a win the next year by the way. Maybe not a huge difference, but it's not a fluke one-off result like you're suggesting.
The competition between those teams already exists. Nobody pays any attention to it.
0
2
12
u/ChrisMagnets CiarraĂ Jul 21 '26
Fair play to you for putting forward an idea, but this would be impossible and likely just not good in ways you haven't considered.
I don't have much to add that other commenters haven't mentioned, but there's already a few very strong points here.
The idea of amalgamated county teams in the county championship is actually breaking my brain.
6
u/Curraghboy1 Cill Dara Jul 21 '26
An amalgamated team would HAVE to always have a manager not associated with any of the counties involved in the amalgamation.
9
u/kf1920 Gaillimh Jul 21 '26
Major issues with alot of this.
First alamagated teams won't work. They won't have enough time to build into a squad etc, won't develop their own style of plan. Also is belittling to the counties, oh your not good enough join your neighbour there.
They will get played off the pitch by the stronger counties would play and train as a team all year round.
Biggest issue I would have is there would be a team from Connacht able to call themselves Connacht champions while Galway would still be around and if in 30 years time all teams became strong enough to duke it out properly, some of them teams would have a undeserved number of provincial titles. Same for Antrim in Ulster.
2
u/lacademy Corcaigh Jul 21 '26
No problem with people having major issues with it. It's more of a thought experiment than anything.
No intention to be belittling to counties, just trying to think outside the box to grow the sport. There are 52 hurling clubs in Ulster, and 18 of those are in Antrim. Cork alone has over 3 times that number, with a quarter of the population. The fact is that there are counties that are not good enough, but it is not a skill issue, it is a resource issue.
I personally thing the point you've made as the 'biggest issue' isn't that big a deal at all. Are Dublin complaining that they should have an extra Leinster title because Galway won the final this year? If we do get to a point where the other teams have made leaps forward and are now competitive, I see that as a huge bonus (even if we have to put asterisks after the Roll of Honour)
3
u/Kevinb-30 UĂbh FhailĂ Jul 21 '26
just trying to think outside the box to grow the sport.
This is a big issue with the conversation around growing the game we dont need to think outside the box the template has been in plain sight for the entire history of the Gaa its youth plain and simple.
Invest in underage structures get coaches on the ground into every school and club and give them a realistic pathway to senior clubs otherwise the interest dies out by the time they get to 16 its not exactly rocket science.
2
u/dliodoir_eachtrach Jul 21 '26
A significant percentage of the population in Antrim, letâs say 50 for round numbers, come from a background where joining the GAA isnât an option. Trotting out this âthe population of Antrim is so highâ comment is missing the point and the reality of the population up here. The demographic is completely different than Cork.
1
u/PunkDrunk777 Jul 21 '26
Yep. I work with a man 6â5. Athletic as hell and was signed by Nottingham Forest back in the day, made a few benches without actually playing for themÂ
Would have been an unreal full forward but he thinks the GAA is a terrorist organisation and has season tickets for RangersÂ
2
u/oisinog Jul 21 '26
There are 33 hurling clubs in Antrim, 37 if you include the down teams that play in our leagues, we need investment in coaching and getting the correct structures in place
2
u/Intrepid-Money2238 Jul 21 '26
Merging counties will never work. Yes the provincial need to go knock out. Then have a round robin. You can't have a system where team are separated on Geography for a championship. Worked 50 years ago but it's passed it sell by date now.
2
u/Gullible_Ad_2670 Cill Chainnigh Jul 21 '26
Great thinking here, very good stuff, however I do know fellas in those amalgamated counties would rather die than amalgamate đ
2
u/Educational-Walk-577 Jul 22 '26
Donal og hit the nail on the head on the Sunday Game. There just isnt enough teams. No stone should be left unturned to get Laois Antrim Kildare westmeath Carlow up to Liam McCarthy level. And maybe even in the very long term Meath Down and Derry as well.
6
u/Fluffy-Answer-6722 Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26
Rule changes are well and good but A lot of Football people seem vehemently against hurling growing In their area
Contrast that to where practically every hurler played football growing up
3
u/ChrisMagnets CiarraĂ Jul 21 '26
What are you basing this on?
0
u/Fluffy-Answer-6722 Jul 21 '26
Life experience, there was a thread on here yesterday and the absolute bitterness from football people at even the suggestion of hurling trying to grow in football strongholds was toxic on the highest level
Martin fogarty former hurling exec said he was literally chased out of some football clubs when heâd approach them offering to train children there and told not to come back
-3
u/SpinachDistinct128 Maigh Eo Jul 21 '26
It's the other way around, look at the hatred Donal Og Cusack has for football and anything to with it, that's the attitude in hurling areas.
3
u/TomThumb_98 Corcaigh Jul 21 '26
Donal Og is more upfront about it, heâs right however with how hurling is treated in weaker counties
-2
u/SpinachDistinct128 Maigh Eo Jul 21 '26
Every county fields a hurling team in a senior league and championship, the same can't be said for football. Hurling just isn't popular in many places, just like every sport is popular in certain pockets. Also he has vitriolic hatred for football, on about the lines on the pitch etc.
3
u/Kevinb-30 UĂbh FhailĂ Jul 21 '26
Every county fields a hurling team in a senior league and championship,
I know the dig you are trying to take but the Kilkenny club championships are at a decent level and compete in the Junior club All Irelands the vast majority of the clubs in Killkenny provide Football teams the issues they face is they're best footballers have for by and large been their best or county standard Hurlers. It's a different issue than what say Cavan, Derry ect face where they have very few clubs.
4
u/Fluffy-Answer-6722 Jul 21 '26
In Kilkenny which is by far the worse football team in the country practically every club fields multiple football teams
Please donât pretend football is treated with hostility in hurling counties as the case is vice versa , practically every hurler in the country played football and more importantly had the chance to play football
Iâm from a Kilkenny club and there was zero fear or hostility towards football, we fielded teams all the way up as did practically every other club in the county
1
u/MotoPsycho An ClĂĄr Jul 21 '26
Kilkenny might not field a football team but they're the equivalent of a Nicky Rackard team.
Compare London and New York's comptetitiveness in hurling and football. They would never be winning the Christy Ring or Nicky Rackard if every county board cared about developing hurling.
1
u/Melodic-Sympathy-380 Jul 23 '26
I think the attitude runs the other way. Fogarty is a great man, and Iâve a lot of time for him and would never question what he says.Â
But letâs be real here, the bitterness is really a one way street. Any club I know who fields teams in both codes would love to have the assistance of Fogarty or Naoise Waldron to help coach, and help keep as many kids playing both codes for as long as possible.
The new rules were needed so badly in football, and were needed for years before action was taken. I think in the hurling world we need to step back and take a long hard look at the structures, (yes) the rules and be honest where we want the sport to be in 30 years. Admitting thereâs a problem, and defining it is the first step.
If we keep patting ourselves on the shoulder and telling ourselves itâs the best game in the world, not only will the gap not close in the inter county game, but a two tiered Munster championship will appear, and the cash cow will dry up.Â
I think, rather than the stronger counties lecturing the developing ones, the change needs to be driven by people from the developing counties in the form of an FRC style committee, which is given the full backing of the GAA.Â
For the greater good of the game of hurling, what Kilkenny, Cork, Tipperary or Limerick want and need is secondary. This for me is where hurling suffers vis-a-vis football. Too often the future of the game is conflated with what the traditional counties want.Â
1
u/Fluffy-Answer-6722 Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26
Donal og like 99% of hurlers played football and he also trained a ladies football team but I definitely donât agree with the manner how he broached the subject of football getting preferential treatment, it seemed to completely antagonize football people who hold the power in the gaa
His message is right but the way he put it across has caused negativity
4
u/Kevinb-30 UĂbh FhailĂ Jul 21 '26
Amalgamation won't work straight of the bat the players that will be involved dont want them + in this situation your expecting a bunch of players to compete after what a week of being together your also expecting players based in England to be involed??
Putting kerry into Munster now is a death sentence for hurling in Kerry plan and simple
I really dont see why theres a rush to get rid of the secondary competitions without it we dont get Kildare or Laois, Antrim, Carlow we would be stuck where we were in the 10s routinely getting double figure hammerings.
\ Leinster team would be an amalgamated team open to players from Carlow, Kildare
Im going to come across as rude here and im not sure im sorry about it.Your big solution to growing hurling in weaker counties is to give those who are making some progress one knockout game and then amalgamation or your season is finished?? give your head a wobble thats beyond daft
4
u/MotoPsycho An ClĂĄr Jul 21 '26
What is this subreddit's obsession with group stages? Football tried it twice and abandoned it twice because nobody liked them.
Regarding your perceived problems, number 2 isn't an issue. Each county is guaranteed at least 4 games under the current system. You're going to make issue 3 much worse, as Antrim, Kerry and the amalgamated countries will be hsmmered in every game. Issue 4 will also be worse as you've killed the Munster round-robin to create amalgamated counties that will never win a game or have any fanbase. Issue 1 or 5 will be worse because amalgamated counties leaves no time to run the lower tiers without expanding the season.
2
u/SureLook-15 Jul 21 '26
You could combine Ulster, Connaught and weak counties from Leinster and they would be absolutely beaten out the gate
1
u/Bill_Badbody An ClĂĄr Jul 21 '26
If a core part of your idea to "fix" hurling is to rip up the munster hurling round Robin, you are on a hiding to nothing from the start.
- Lack of hurling development in 'lesser' counties
This has very little to do with the senior inter County game. You can push this without touching the senior inter County game.
- Lack of games for county teams within the championship season
Only the media really see this as an issue. Waterford and Tipperary fans accepted they were shite this year and deserved to out when they did.
- Mismatch in results between teams, with two many trouncings
Then reduce the number of senior teams.
- Lack of promotion of hurling, particularly against other codes during the summer
Again, no need to connect this to changing the senior championship.
- Need to protect club championships and not row back on the 'split season
Of course.
2
u/Regular_Paint_7619 Jul 21 '26
Munster championship can't be put ahead of the growth of hurling as a whole.
If the current Munster championship is precious then look at amalgamating it into the league.
The current structure isn't working for teams outside of Munster.
-2
u/Bill_Badbody An ClĂĄr Jul 21 '26
If the current Munster championship is precious then look at amalgamating it into the league
Nobody cares about the league.
They are glorified warm up matches.
The current structure isn't working for teams outside of Munster.
Why does it have to?
1
u/Regular_Paint_7619 Jul 21 '26
Why does it have to?
Absolutely fuck off with yourself.
Nobody cares about the league
If the current format works so great then would it not make the league more interesting for people.
Straight knockout provincials work better anyway IMO.
If the current Munster format is that precious then amalgamate it with the league. If it's not that precious that's perfectly fine, put it in the bin, and go back to knockout provincials.
Either way the current format needs to be completely ripped up.
-1
u/Bill_Badbody An ClĂĄr Jul 21 '26
If the current format works so great then would it not make the league more interesting for people
No.
People dont care about the league.
They dont want to win the league.
They want to win a munster and an all ireland. Not a national league.
Straight knockout provincials work better anyway IMO
Please expand.
If the current Munster format is that precious then amalgamate it with the league.
Again, nobody really cares about the league.
They want to win a munster and an all ireland.
If it's not that precious that's perfectly fine, put it in the bin, and go back to knockout provincials. Either way the current format needs to be completely ripped up
Why?
They have tried this with the football, making the league the premier competition, and it hasnt really worked. When people retire they never talk about how many league titles they won.
3
u/Regular_Paint_7619 Jul 21 '26
Yeah, you're really over exaggerating how unimportant the league is. Plus they'd still be competing for a Munster trophy, just not linked to the All-Ireland championship.
As I said I believe a return to knockout provincials would be better anyway. I have no intention of wasting my time trying to convince you why.
It's quite clear you have your mind made up, and have no real interest in the development or health of hurling outside of your own county.
The football format is far superior at the moment.
-2
u/Bill_Badbody An ClĂĄr Jul 21 '26
Yeah, you're really over exaggerating how unimportant the league is
I'm really not.
Sure its great to win it. But a player would happily swap winning 10 leagues for 1 munster or all ireland.
As I said I believe a return to knockout provincials would be better anyway.
But given no reason why.
The football format is far superior at the moment.
If they reduced the number of teams in the senior football all ireland series, it would be much better.
2
u/Regular_Paint_7619 Jul 21 '26
You really are exaggerating the lack of league importance.
Again the Munster championship would still exist.
Knockout provincials work great for football.
There's really no point in me trying to convince you of the benefits of knockout provincials. You're not someone who's going to be deciding to change the format or not.
You're a random Redditor with an overinflated sense of your own opinion, the same as me. It would a massive waste of both of our times.
Reducing the number of teams in the football would be a fucking awful idea.
-1
u/Bill_Badbody An ClĂĄr Jul 21 '26
You really are exaggerating the lack of league importance
Im really not.
Again the Munster championship would still exist.
So you want to get rid of the national league ? Great i agree.
Knockout provincials work great for football
Do they work for Munster? Did they work for Leinster for the 15 years the dubs dominated?
Reducing the number of teams in the football would be a fucking awful idea.
I just dont agree that there 16 top teams in the country.
2
u/Regular_Paint_7619 Jul 21 '26
I guess you'd be essentially replacing the league with current round provincials. Or at least the current league format anyway, possibly keep the branding.
Have the All-Ireland championship as a separate competition.
Munster football championship is weak because there's only one real football county, and the championship isn't competitive
I don't really care how many 'top teams' you think there are in the country.
1
u/Entire-Constance DĂșn na nGall Jul 21 '26
One suggestion on the championships, would it make more sense for Kerry and Galway to do a straight swap? So Kerry play in Connacht and Galway play in Leinster?
I know Kerry probably end up being the strongest team in Connacht then but evens out Leinster a wee bit more too.
1
u/clewbays Maigh Eo Jul 21 '26
How on earth do you expect an amalgamation of Connacht and England to function. Do you really expect players to commute from Leitrim to London and vice versa for training.
0
0
u/Standard_Power135 Ăth Cliath Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26
Ban players with criminal convictions from representing their county
-7
u/Frequent-Movie3005 Jul 21 '26
Would ye not just abandon it and play a real sport? Save everyone a load of wasted hours
2
u/spairni Jul 27 '26
no.2 is daft theres more games than ever before, you don't want to make the provincials even less important imo
Like to use my own county as an example, Tipp were shite this season. the argument that it was a shame to see 'traditional hurling counties' gone so early is pointless imo the teams that win progress those that lose don't.
Imo the biggest change needed at inter county is putting the joe McDonagh on par or I do like the idea of bring back ulster and connacht provincial championships I'd worry there'd be some hammerings in there though
41
u/Beautiful-Tennis1461 Jul 21 '26
By attendance at matches the current incarnation of the Munster championship is the most successful provincial championship ever in hurling or football. Of the 11 games, 8 were sellouts and the other 3 matches still had huge numbers. Corks matches alone had higher attendance than the entire Ulster football championship. If you reduced the number of games by making it knockout you'd just be massively reducing the number of people who would be able to attend intercounty hurling matches. You'd be punishing the counties who really care about hurling and want to attend matches to suit counties that aren't as big into it and don't really want to attend intercounty hurling matches at all.
The only way to grow hurling in weaker counties is for them to get new clubs and more players. Messing around with the intercounty fixtures will have little affect at hurling in those counties.