GAA Discussion > GAA Discussion
Provincial Championships - is this the beginning of the end?
onefineday:
I've touched on this in the success or failure of the early championship thread, but as the big throw-in draws closer, I thought it might be worth asking for opinions.
Will the big guns give a toss about the provincial championships? If so, why? What real incentive is there to win your province anymore? Might the pre-season tournaments like the McGrath cup, McKenna etc actually be more useful than winning your province (okay, a step too far with that one).
In my opinion, the provinces will still have merit for the teams who haven't already qualified for the All Ireland or those like Kildare and Meath who realise there's every chance they'll be Tailtean bound, but for all the other qualifiers, provincial success might actually leave them at a disadvantage from a seeding point of view and would very likely leave them at a disadvantage from a squad fitness and injury perspective.
From an injury p.o.v the more matches, the more chances of injuries occurring, fitness wise, it'll be difficult to play provincial football right up until early or mid May and then start into the All Ireland series 2 weeks later. Would it be better to lose early, maybe win one game and lose your provincial semi, then get a month off for a good uninterrupted block of preparation before starting on the All Ireland series?
From a seeding p.o.v, do you really want to be a 2nd seed and be guaranteed to avoid the losing Connacht, Leinster or Munster finalists?
It'll be interesting to find out, but those teams with serious ambitions of winning an All Ireland shouldn't be putting too much emphasis on a provincial title.
And of course we all remember the joyous scenes from the past when counties have won provinces, but comparing a Westmeath win in 2004 with a Longford title in 2025 will not be comparable as the value and prestige of the tournament will have been seriously devalued in the interim. It'll be like the McKenna cup, once it was incredibly prestigous and winning was enough to make a season a success, but as the efforts teams were putting into winning it reduced and other competitions increased in prestige, its value waned. That's where I see the provinces going, we'll see more of the less traditionally successful counties winning as they will still be all out to win their province (both to qualify for the All Ireland and for the trophy itself), but the big guns will not be too pushed at best.
Blowitupref:
Influence of this thread come from reading the opinion of Ciarán McKeever? You are using the same headline from the Irish Independent anyway.
Plan from HQ was to make provincial championships like pre-season competitions with their original proposal B format but the current format is not that and still has importance or be it Lessened
As i already said a good start is half the battle and as it stands winning your provincial championship is a round 1 match at home. If you don't reach a provincial final you'll play a provincial champion away in round 1. I think the preference would be to win the group which would include a week rest against your All Ireland Quarter final opponent.
Captain Obvious:
--- Quote from: onefineday on March 30, 2023, 12:22:15 AM ---we'll see more of the less traditionally successful counties winning as they will still be all out to win their province (both to qualify for the All Ireland and for the trophy itself), but the big guns will not be too pushed at best.
--- End quote ---
This year Kerry, Dublin will stroll to another provincial title and can rest players while doing it. Hard to see past one of Tyrone, Derry winning the 2023 Ulster championship and Connacht will be won by a Division 1 team. We are unlikely to see that until the connection of the provincial championships with the All-Ireland series is cut and i don't think the provincial councils are going to allow that happen anytime soon.
Redhand Santa:
--- Quote from: onefineday on March 30, 2023, 12:22:15 AM ---I've touched on this in the success or failure of the early championship thread, but as the big throw-in draws closer, I thought it might be worth asking for opinions.
Will the big guns give a toss about the provincial championships? If so, why? What real incentive is there to win your province anymore? Might the pre-season tournaments like the McGrath cup, McKenna etc actually be more useful than winning your province (okay, a step too far with that one).
In my opinion, the provinces will still have merit for the teams who haven't already qualified for the All Ireland or those like Kildare and Meath who realise there's every chance they'll be Tailtean bound, but for all the other qualifiers, provincial success might actually leave them at a disadvantage from a seeding point of view and would very likely leave them at a disadvantage from a squad fitness and injury perspective.
From an injury p.o.v the more matches, the more chances of injuries occurring, fitness wise, it'll be difficult to play provincial football right up until early or mid May and then start into the All Ireland series 2 weeks later. Would it be better to lose early, maybe win one game and lose your provincial semi, then get a month off for a good uninterrupted block of preparation before starting on the All Ireland series?
From a seeding p.o.v, do you really want to be a 2nd seed and be guaranteed to avoid the losing Connacht, Leinster or Munster finalists?
It'll be interesting to find out, but those teams with serious ambitions of winning an All Ireland shouldn't be putting too much emphasis on a provincial title.
And of course we all remember the joyous scenes from the past when counties have won provinces, but comparing a Westmeath win in 2004 with a Longford title in 2025 will not be comparable as the value and prestige of the tournament will have been seriously devalued in the interim. It'll be like the McKenna cup, once it was incredibly prestigous and winning was enough to make a season a success, but as the efforts teams were putting into winning it reduced and other competitions increased in prestige, its value waned. That's where I see the provinces going, we'll see more of the less traditionally successful counties winning as they will still be all out to win their province (both to qualify for the All Ireland and for the trophy itself), but the big guns will not be too pushed at best.
--- End quote ---
From an ulster county point of view there still is a certain prestige attached to winning ulster. But more importantly the likelihood is it's going to lead to a considerably easier path to a quarter final.
The chances are Mayo/Galway, Kerry and Dublin will win the other provinces. It'll be very hard to top a group when in with one of them teams (you'll be away to one of them the first game). If you don't top the group you are going to have another match the week after last group game and if win that will then be playing one of them teams (or ulster champs) in a quarter final the following week.
There is still a chance of drawing the losers of Mayo/Galway or a good ulster team in your group even if you win ulster but still looks an easier path than the above.
Rossfan:
Problem is there are only 2 real Provincial Championships.
Munster is a hurling Province with 1 football County while Leinster is a training ground for Dublin (18 out of last 20 or so).
https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-41103556.html
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
Go to full version