2018 Joe McDonagh Cup

Started by Mossy Bruce, March 29, 2018, 12:09:15 AM

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SpeculativeEffort

The competitiveness of the top tier will diminish if it goes to 6 and 7 teams. I think the GAA need to bite the bullet on this and stick to their guns. If Offaly (or any other perceived strong county) get relegated and are serious about progression then they will be back up the following year and will have a prelim quarter final also. If they dont come straight back up then they arent up to top tier hurling. Simple as that. GAA have to be strong on this or the new system will turn into a farce.

redsetanta

I would agree with that point. Rules should not be changed to suit particular counties. Offaly were relegated a couple of years back by Laois and were straight back up.

On this weekend s games, Laois have to beat Carlow and hope that Westmeath get the better of Antrim. Any other results and Laois are gone. If those results come to fruition then next week Antrim have to beat Kerry for Laois to have a chance. A very tall order but not beyond the bounds of possibility.
The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That's real glory. VinceLombardi

ardtole

Offaly should take their medicine like every other county. Carlow Westmeath, Meath, laois and Antrim seem to be making huge efforts to improve their status as hurling counties and need a system that gives them a chance of competing with the big boys. Westmeath in particular have had some great results at underage level in the last 4 or 5 years.

I think the hurling is very close to having the perfect set up. Maybe a playoff between the Joe mcdonagh finalists and bottom team in the munster/Leinster groups is the way to go for the following year.

The joe mcdonagh finalists play in the all Ireland series as far as I know so for the romantics at least on paper they have a shot at the Liam McCarthy each year.

johnnycool

Quote from: ardtole on June 01, 2018, 11:14:29 AM
Offaly should take their medicine like every other county. Carlow Westmeath, Meath, laois and Antrim seem to be making huge efforts to improve their status as hurling counties and need a system that gives them a chance of competing with the big boys. Westmeath in particular have had some great results at underage level in the last 4 or 5 years.

I think the hurling is very close to having the perfect set up. Maybe a playoff between the Joe mcdonagh finalists and bottom team in the munster/Leinster groups is the way to go for the following year.

The joe mcdonagh finalists play in the all Ireland series as far as I know so for the romantics at least on paper they have a shot at the Liam McCarthy each year.

The finalists play the third teams in both sections.

Franko

I remember a good few years ago now, Derry gave Offaly a scare in Croke Park.  After a few close decisions by the ref (a young Barry Kelly??) went Offaly's way, the Derry management were up in arms.  The very same Michael Duignan commented that the ref "wasn't in the business of appeasing Derry hurling".  So for that reason alone I say f**k Offaly.  Take your ointment like the rest.

Roashter

Duignan & Regan can be very hard to listen to alright.
Their main line this year on Offaly is that Offaly are on the right track with having a good hurling local man like Kevin Martin over the team, and that the outside managers last few years had done a lot of damage (completely ignoring that they won their recent all-Irelands under outside managers).

Last weeks defeat by Wexford was a complete collapse, especially at home. If they lose to Dublin I don't have much sympathy for them.

The one change I would make to the system though is that last team in Leinster would play last team in Munster and the loser gets relegated.

manfromdelmonte

Quote from: Roashter on June 02, 2018, 12:02:25 PM
Duignan & Regan can be very hard to listen to alright.
Their main line this year on Offaly is that Offaly are on the right track with having a good hurling local man like Kevin Martin over the team, and that the outside managers last few years had done a lot of damage (completely ignoring that they won their recent all-Irelands under outside managers).

Last weeks defeat by Wexford was a complete collapse, especially at home. If they lose to Dublin I don't have much sympathy for them.

The one change I would make to the system though is that last team in Leinster would play last team in Munster and the loser gets relegated.
Offaly completely took their eye off underage hurling and football in the county for 10 years +

They absolutely hate to see Westmeath or Laois going well as realistically both those counties were at the same level as offaly before the late 70s and the glory years of 80s and 90s

seafoid

Westmeath are doing well versus Antrim
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

seafoid

Antrim back to within a point
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

seafoid

#54
FT Westmeath 2-19 Antrim 1-20

Antrim very, very close this year
I think the Joe McDonagh is a big improvement (unless you are from Offaly or Laois)

https://www.rte.ie/sport/results/gaa/2018/6136/tables/
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

Joeythelips

I cannot see the big complaint about the Joe McDonagh Cup, so what if a team gets relegated thats the way it should be. I agree with the other poster who said their should be a relegation playoff between bottom in Leinster and bottom in Munster. They say they want to develop hurling in weaker counties yet the thoughts of promotions a side seems to terrify them. The big key to the new structure is that the finalists of JM cup are in the latter stages of the AI series. Fair enough 95% of the time they will be well beaten but when there could be some shocks. Look at all the hard work put in by those Westmeath hurlers, and they have reached the final and will get a crack at one of they third teams (on current table would be Kilkenny or Clare) and they deserve a crack at it.  Loads of people are saying Offaly will lose ground if relegated from Leinster but if they lose they deserve to be relegated, in fact it might be a good thing for them as the Joe Mc Donagh route would mean they get further than this year.

johnnycool

I'd agree with that.
If Offaly do get relegated then next year they'll not get everything their own way and even at that they'll get a crack at the AI via a qualifier

imtommygunn

Yeahi don't get this attitude around offaly. The system needs promotion and relegation and just because a county is one of the "traditional " rules shouldn't be bent for it which it seems like they might be.

It might do them good.

seafoid

Offaly would still be in the championship if they went down. I think they have to take their medicine  . If they are good enough they will be back.
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

LooseCannon

Wexford were supposed to play Antrim in a relegation playoff a few years ago to see which of them would drop to Christy Ring. The GAA called it off, and allowed the Christy Ring winners that year (Carlow) to join the Leinster Championship for the following year.