At the end of the league, the rankings are divided into two Groups, based on the final league standings after the 4 league finals. The Top 16 will play in the Sam Maguire competition and the Bottom 16 will play in the Tailteann Cup competition, unless a Bottom 16 team reaches its Provincial Final. Were that to occur, lowest team listed in the Top 16 will be dropped to the Bottom 16 and play in the Tailteann Cup.
With the Provincial draws for 2024, one side of the Munster Championship has all Bottom 16 teams (Clare, Tipperary and Waterford), so the lowest rank of the Top 16 teams (Down) is dropped to Tailteann Cup status, since all Provincial finalists are guaranteed to be in the Top 16 for All-Ireland Group stages seeding. Any team dropped from the Top 16 to the Bottom 16 can regain Top 16 status by reaching their respective Provincial final. As Tailteann Cup holders, Meath cannot be relegated from the Top 16.
Here is the ranking of Top 16 at the start of the Provincial championships.
Derry
Dublin
Kerry
Mayo
Tyrone
Galway
Donegal
Armagh
Roscommon
Monaghan
Cavan
Cork
Meath
Louth
Westmeath
Clare/Tipperary/Waterford – whichever gets to the Munster Final
The Bottom 16 are:
Down
Fermanagh
Kildare
Clare/Tipperary/Waterford – whichever 2 do not get to the Munster final.
Sligo
Antrim
Offaly
Laois
Leitrim
Wicklow
Limerick
Wexford
Longford
Carlow
London
New York
With the Provincial draws for 2024, one side of the Munster Championship has all Bottom 16 teams (Clare, Tipperary and Waterford), so the lowest rank of the Top 16 teams (Down) is dropped to Tailteann Cup status, since all Provincial finalists are guaranteed to be in the Top 16 for All-Ireland Group stages seeding. Any team dropped from the Top 16 to the Bottom 16 can regain Top 16 status by reaching their respective Provincial final. As Tailteann Cup holders, Meath cannot be relegated from the Top 16.
Here is the ranking of Top 16 at the start of the Provincial championships.
Derry
Dublin
Kerry
Mayo
Tyrone
Galway
Donegal
Armagh
Roscommon
Monaghan
Cavan
Cork
Meath
Louth
Westmeath
Clare/Tipperary/Waterford – whichever gets to the Munster Final
The Bottom 16 are:
Down
Fermanagh
Kildare
Clare/Tipperary/Waterford – whichever 2 do not get to the Munster final.
Sligo
Antrim
Offaly
Laois
Leitrim
Wicklow
Limerick
Wexford
Longford
Carlow
London
New York