The Sunday Game

[Itchy]

So how to intermediate and junior club finals in counties generate such excitement for the clubs attending?

I am convinced 2nd tier competition is a great idea it just needs to be properly sold and promoted and written into TV contracts - you want the big games, you need to show these games too. The problem is the complete balls that the Tommy Murphy cup has soured peoples opinions on what it could be like.

[AZOffaly]

So how to intermediate and junior club finals in counties generate such excitement for the clubs attending?

I am convinced 2nd tier competition is a great idea it just needs to be properly sold and promoted and written into TV contracts - you want the big games, you need to show these games too. The problem is the complete balls that the Tommy Murphy cup has soured peoples opinions on what it could be like.

Not just the Tommy Murphy Cup. The McDonagh Cup in hurling, the Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard etc. People know that if you are not playing in the main competition, nobody gives a toss about what you do. Players have a tiered league, and they want to at least play a big championship game at least once or twice a summer. In an amateur game, a lot of what lads get for the effort they put in is a bit of local/national recognition.

Everyone knows Niall McNamee as one of the top forwards in Ireland. Likewise numerous other players from smaller counties. Who is the best Carlow hurler? The best Louth hurler?

[macdanger2]

One reason is that players, if they are going to be bursting a gut for several months, want to at least have the recognition of playing for their county in the Senior Championship. We have a tiered competition, and it's a good one, the National League. But players want, and are entitled to, their moment in the sun.

How many people knew on Monday morning that Wicklow beat Offaly and Carlow beat Louth? Now how many people can even name the Joe McDonagh Cup hurling matches on the same weekend?
I would wager a fair sum that more knew about the former, and read about the Wicklow goalie, or Carlow's great performance, than the latter.

That's one reason why.

They should earn the right, by becoming good. I never watched weaker counties in hurling before the tiered championship and I wont watch it now.
All this championship has done for Offaly is make them an even bigger laughing stock than they already were.

Neutrals want to watch the best players, in the best teams in the Summer. Not Offaly or Louth imploding against Wicklow or Carlow.

From listening to it on the radio on Saturday evening, it sounded like Wexford v Laois was a better watch than the Mayo/Galway game on Sunday.

[shark]

So how to intermediate and junior club finals in counties generate such excitement for the clubs attending?

I am convinced 2nd tier competition is a great idea it just needs to be properly sold and promoted and written into TV contracts - you want the big games, you need to show these games too. The problem is the complete balls that the Tommy Murphy cup has soured peoples opinions on what it could be like.

Not just the Tommy Murphy Cup. The McDonagh Cup in hurling, the Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard etc. People know that if you are not playing in the main competition, nobody gives a toss about what you do. Players have a tiered league, and they want to at least play a big championship game at least once or twice a summer. In an amateur game, a lot of what lads get for the effort they put in is a bit of local/national recognition.

Everyone knows Niall McNamee as one of the top forwards in Ireland. Likewise numerous other players from smaller counties. Who is the best Carlow hurler? The best Louth hurler?

The first year of the Christy Ring, the final was played before the Liam McCarthy semi final in Croker. There was big excitement in Mullingar when Westmeath brought the cup back. Then the "elite" counties complained that their minors were losing out. It didn't take long for the aura of the CRC to disappear, as the final slipped to Portlaoise, and out of the spotlight.
McDonagh cup has got no mainstream coverage the past 2 weeks. But plenty of coverage of Cody saying that they should change the structure already so that nobody gets relegated. Christ.

[BennyCake]

FA cup style draw. Forget tiers.

I remember some non league bucko jumping around the changing room once completely starkers when seeing his team had drew a big gun in the FA cup. That's what we should be aiming for. Well, not exactly that, but the sight of Leitrim going mental because the dubs are coming to town. Yes they'll probably be stuffed, but so were Tyrone in last years semi.

[Rossfan]

Dubs won't be going to anyone's town

[Syferus]

People are talking about Offaly alright😁

Big deal. So we're in trouble. Ye've never been in trouble, or playing naked pool or anything like that.

We were reigning Connacht champions when we got the pool cues out, in fairness.

You should hear the one about the Mayo lads tearing the toilet seats off in the niteclub..

[AZOffaly]

People are talking about Offaly alright😁

Big deal. So we're in trouble. Ye've never been in trouble, or playing naked pool or anything like that.

We were reigning Connacht champions when we got the pool cues out, in fairness.

You should hear the one about the Mayo lads tearing the toilet seats off in the niteclub..

That is true in fairness. Still embarrassing though. Unfortunately in Offaly we seem to have made an art form out of shooting ourselves in the foot area.

[Rossfan]

So how to intermediate and junior club finals in counties generate such excitement for the clubs attending?

I am convinced 2nd tier competition is a great idea it just needs to be properly sold and promoted and written into TV contracts - you want the big games, you need to show these games too. The problem is the complete balls that the Tommy Murphy cup has soured peoples opinions on what it could be like.

Not just the Tommy Murphy Cup. The McDonagh Cup in hurling, the Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard etc. People know that if you are not playing in the main competition, nobody gives a toss about what you do. Players have a tiered league, and they want to at least play a big championship game at least once or twice a summer. In an amateur game, a lot of what lads get for the effort they put in is a bit of local/national recognition.

Everyone knows Niall McNamee as one of the top forwards in Ireland. Likewise numerous other players from smaller counties. Who is the best Carlow hurler? The best Louth hurler?

Who was the best Louth hurler of the 90s,80's,  70s.
How many years did Louth enter the Leinster SHC?
When did they last play Kilkenny and what was the score?

[AZOffaly]

So how to intermediate and junior club finals in counties generate such excitement for the clubs attending?

I am convinced 2nd tier competition is a great idea it just needs to be properly sold and promoted and written into TV contracts - you want the big games, you need to show these games too. The problem is the complete balls that the Tommy Murphy cup has soured peoples opinions on what it could be like.

Not just the Tommy Murphy Cup. The McDonagh Cup in hurling, the Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard etc. People know that if you are not playing in the main competition, nobody gives a toss about what you do. Players have a tiered league, and they want to at least play a big championship game at least once or twice a summer. In an amateur game, a lot of what lads get for the effort they put in is a bit of local/national recognition.

Everyone knows Niall McNamee as one of the top forwards in Ireland. Likewise numerous other players from smaller counties. Who is the best Carlow hurler? The best Louth hurler?

Who was the best Louth hurler of the 90s,80's,  70s.
How many years did Louth enter the Leinster SHC?
When did they last play Kilkenny and what was the score?

The historic neglect of hurling's weaker counties is NOT a reason to start neglecting football's weaker counties. Do you not see you are saying 'Look how shit hurling has always been in Louth, let's make the football the same'.

[Rossfan]

Calm down AZ I'm saying no such thing.

Hurling has always been a minor minority sport in Louth and 18 or 19 other Counties and will remain so even if the GAA pumped millions into trying to make it a popular game in the said Counties.
Putting all 32 Counties into the SHC would be the most ludicrous thing ever and no one is suggesting it ....apart from AZ's inferences.

[seafoid]

Calm down AZ I'm saying no such thing.

Hurling has always been a minor minority sport in Louth and 18 or 19 other Counties and will remain so even if the GAA pumped millions into trying to make it a popular game in the said Counties.
Putting all 32 Counties into the SHC would be the most ludicrous thing ever and no one is suggesting it ....apart from AZ's inferences.

The skill levels required are much higher in hurling.This does not mean hurling is superior. It is just a fact. A talented 16 year old foreigner could join a good football team easily enough but not a good hurling team.  Its very hard to transplant a successful county hurling culture to a new county.

[AZOffaly]

Calm down AZ I'm saying no such thing.

Hurling has always been a minor minority sport in Louth and 18 or 19 other Counties and will remain so even if the GAA pumped millions into trying to make it a popular game in the said Counties.
Putting all 32 Counties into the SHC would be the most ludicrous thing ever and no one is suggesting it ....apart from AZ's inferences.

I'm not suggesting it either. What I'm saying is the way the lesser championships are treated in hurling is EXACTLY what would happen the lesser football championships.

[seafoid]

Calm down AZ I'm saying no such thing.

Hurling has always been a minor minority sport in Louth and 18 or 19 other Counties and will remain so even if the GAA pumped millions into trying to make it a popular game in the said Counties.
Putting all 32 Counties into the SHC would be the most ludicrous thing ever and no one is suggesting it ....apart from AZ's inferences.

I'm not suggesting it either. What I'm saying is the way the lesser championships are treated in hurling is EXACTLY what would happen the lesser football championships.

I don't necessarily think so
During the summer you can start talking to the fella beside you on the beach about what county he is from and then how the footballers are going.  This won't change. A tiered system would mean more matches for most counties so more exposure. Men will watch or read about endless sport.
The promotion/relegation would be very interesting. It would probably mean more transformations are executed. I think under the current system for D3 and D4 momentum is very hard to carry over from one season to the next. The current system favours the stronger counties. the ones who can build momentum.

[imtommygunn]

  Yes we irish make a regular habit of going to the beach what with the tropical weather and all

There was little to no coverage of the joe mcdonagh games at the weekend. The ring, rackard etc get no coverage. The tommy murphy got little to none.

Sure it has already started with less coverage this year. The super 8s will be where the interest is.

So in summary az is bang on.