Provincial Championships - is this the beginning of the end?

[Armagh18]

I think the only teams who can afford to turn their nose up at a provincial are Dublin and Kerry and its not as though they even break sweat in their province anyway.

[ONeill]

The opposite for me. If you don't have to break a sweat, you might as well play a couple of handy games.

[imtommygunn]

The reality is they're so far above the other teams in those provinces they would nearly need to go out of their way to lose. (Currently - I don't think that was the case for the year Tipp won it as Cork caught Kerry fair and square...)

[Dreadnought]

A lot of hyperbole about devaluing the provincial championships.

Since the backdoor was introduced, Tyrone lost in Ulster and went on to win the AI more than once. They weren't crying about losing out on their Ulster medals.
Kerry got beat by Cork in Munster and hammered them later on more than once.
Rossies have won a few Connachts since the backdoor was introduced, yet rarely if ever have they been the last Connacht team standing in the All Ireland.

At the start of the championship, there are X number of genuine contenders. How far they go in their province has little or no impact on their chance of winning Sam.

But at the same stage winning your province is still a good achievement. You are beating your neighbours and often fiercest rivals, you are collecting the cup and your medals as the losers look on.
The new system doesn't devalue that one iota. You still get a theoretical slight advantage in the draw, but doesn't help you win the All Ireland, you've still got to win games in the AI series to do that.

If you're already assured of an all Ireland berth and are in a competitive province (ulster or Connacht) then progressing in your province will likely disadvantage you. An early round loss, like mayo achieved last week leaves them with a chance to recuperate after a successful league, work on fitness, getting healthy and gameplans ahead of the championship which starts in May. For a team with serious all Ireland aspirations that is much more advantageous than another tough game v serious opponents followed by a one sided final for another Connacht medal with the all Ireland to come a fortnight later. The ridiculously condensed season makes provincial success an indulgent luxury that makes no sense for many of the genuine all Ireland contenders.

Will it? Getting 1st or 2nd seeds (and not being down for 6 weeks or so while others are playing and fine tuning) is still probably best. You'll be playing teams who didn't get to a final, or a Tailteann winner from last year. This year will tell a story, but you might find that playing games and winning them in your province is still best overall.

[Armagh18]

The reality is they're so far above the other teams in those provinces they would nearly need to go out of their way to lose. (Currently - I don't think that was the case for the year Tipp won it as Cork caught Kerry fair and square...)

Yeah thats what I mean, 2020 was obviously a total freak year across the board though.

At least Connacht has 3 teams capable of beating each other and Sligo building. In Ulster 8 of the teams capable of being competitive and taking a scalp with about 5 or 6 in any given year capable of winning it.

[The Boy Wonder]

I was looking for game(s) to attend or watch on TV this weekend.

Fixtures for Sat-Sun 15-16 April
1 Ulster SFC game on Sat
1 Ulster SFC game on Sun

Fixtures for Sat-Sun 22-23 April
1 Connacht SFC game on Sat
2 Munster SFC games on Sat
1 Ulster SFC game on Sat
3 Leinster SHC games on Sat
1 Connacht SFC game on Sun
4 Leinster SFC games on Sun
1 Ulster SFC game on Sun
2 Munster SHC games on Sun

Above doesn't include games in Joe McDonagh, Christy Ring and Lory Meagher hurling cups.

Wouldn't you think the GAA might have fixed some more Provincial SFC and SHC games for this weekend 

[onefineday]

The reality is they're so far above the other teams in those provinces they would nearly need to go out of their way to lose. (Currently - I don't think that was the case for the year Tipp won it as Cork caught Kerry fair and square...)

Agree 💯, they'd probably have to try to lose in their province - or will this be the year kildare do it - don't laugh, they've beaten the dubs and run them to a point the last 2 years - if it hadn't been fir that 5 goal blast at the start of last year's Leinster who knows what might have happened (okay, clutching now....).

[onefineday]

Will it? Getting 1st or 2nd seeds (and not being down for 6 weeks or so while others are playing and fine tuning) is still probably best. You'll be playing teams who didn't get to a final, or a Tailteann winner from last year. This year will tell a story, but you might find that playing games and winning them in your province is still best overall.

Disagree with this, 1st seed is useful, 2nd seed is a pot you don't want to be in. If you're second seed you can't get the losing Leinster, Connaught or Munster finalists, all of them likely to be amongst the weaker teams on paper.

[seafoid]

Will it? Getting 1st or 2nd seeds (and not being down for 6 weeks or so while others are playing and fine tuning) is still probably best. You'll be playing teams who didn't get to a final, or a Tailteann winner from last year. This year will tell a story, but you might find that playing games and winning them in your province is still best overall.

Disagree with this, 1st seed is useful, 2nd seed is a pot you don't want to be in. If you're second seed you can't get the losing Leinster, Connaught or Munster finalists, all of them likely to be amongst the weaker teams on paper.

That's this year. D1 had 4 Ulster teams, 3 from Connacht and Kerry

[giveballaghback]

Back after a long layoff for various reasons, the thing is the provincial championship is the only thing many counties can realistically aspire to, many a pub wall is decorated with provincial champions, on a good or lucky day many of the lower ranked counties can get there or can dream of getting there.

[Blowitupref]

Back after a long layoff for various reasons, the thing is the provincial championship is the only thing many counties can realistically aspire to, many a pub wall is decorated with provincial champions, on a good or lucky day many of the lower ranked counties can get there or can dream of getting there.

That's true and to quote Jim McGuinness "what's the alternative? We don't have them, and so we fight for two cups instead of six? That doesn't make sense for the development of the game"

[ONeill]

It's the inequality of the provincial numbers that the issue is with.

[Armagh18]

There you go lads, no one will throw a provincial game because they don't want to be doing 5 or 6 weeks of conditioning work

[Captain Obvious]

Provincial Championship game at it's best in Omagh today. Two teams throw their lot at it and injury time winner. Won't see many better knock out championship games this year than that match this afternoon.

[Eire90]

if Tyrone or mayo win the all ireland  would it be bad for the future of provincials.