Brennan has suggested radical changes to the Hurling Championship

Lecale2 · July 05, 2007, 07:53:40 AM

RTE

Brennan enters hurling debate

GAA President Nickey Brennan has entered the debate over the one-sided nature of the All-Ireland Hurling Championship.

There has been much discussion on the current standard of hurling, with the predictable Leinster Championship coming in for the most scrutiny.

Brennan revealed that he is looking at ways in which things could be inproved and suggests that Antrim and Galway could enter the Leinster Championship, with the Munster Championship being retained.

The GAA President also claimed that an open Championship draw is an option in order to inject some life into top-flight hurling.

What do you think?

Sky Blue · July 05, 2007, 07:58:31 AM

Any proposal that involves the end of the Munster Championship will be opposed in MUnster and therefore is a non runner. The Ulster Championship is dead. A few years ago it was competitive but no longer. Down & Armagh should get enough hurling in the Chrity Ring and let Antrim enter Leinster. Galway should be forced into Leinster for the good of the game, whether they like it or not.
I voted option 2 and the sooner the better IMO.

Guillem2 · July 05, 2007, 08:20:27 AM

Has to be option 2. I'd be interested to hear a Galway view though.

Punxsutawney Fergal · July 05, 2007, 08:31:28 AM

Open draw, Two groups of 6 top 2 in each into the All Ireland semi finals. Munster has two teams head and shoulders above the rest with others slipping further back.

tayto · July 05, 2007, 10:18:46 AM

Why is brennan saying this now!!! They made changes for next year that were just faffing about!! I was hoping for something like this back then!

No point in talking about an open draw as Munster will never be voted out. And I'd agree with that. The Munster hurling final is a do not miss occasion forme every year.

A Connacht-Leinster-Ulster championship is the way forward in my view. In the mid to long term it has the potential to be as competitive as the Munster championship at all age groups. In fact when Wexford and Offaly sort themselves out, with an improving Dublin and Antrim there could be fireworks. I honestly think it has the potential to be as exciting as the Munster championship currently is. Someone on another site called it the CUL Championship. [Connacht Ulster Leinster]. That'll do for now. Mandate Galway in, invite antrim [i think they're on for it] Both counties are isolated and the current system does nothing for them.

Gnevin · July 05, 2007, 11:05:47 AM

Won't happen like most things in the GAA the no camp make them self most strongly heard

GaillimhIarthair · July 05, 2007, 11:46:31 AM

Quote from: Guillem2 on July 05, 2007, 08:20:27 AM
Has to be option 2. I'd be interested to hear a Galway view though.

I would be 100% behind Galway playing in Leinster and to be honest I think the vast majority of supporters in this county are also. The current format is just not working and as far as I'm concerned there are two options available to the power that be;

1 CUL + Munster Championship
2 An open draw.........

Munster seems pretty competitive at the moment so option 2 will not get any support down south at the moment, therefore option 1 needs to happen asap.

tayto · July 05, 2007, 12:07:28 PM

Exactly. I'd love to see it in place for next year!

GalteeMountainBoy · July 05, 2007, 12:30:14 PM

How about an Option 3;

The Offaly, Wexford and Laois County Boards set themselves the target of landing an All Ireland Minor title by 2011/12.

If one is to study the quasi-revival in the fortunes of Dublin hurling at the moment, the key to it seems to be a huge emphasis placed on development and performance at Juvenile and Colleges grades.

heineken_on_tap · July 05, 2007, 01:12:03 PM

Surely an open draw is the solution - ok the muster championship can be very good and obviously a munster medal means alot to any players. But you have to look at the bigger picture - is hurling is general going anywhere if the current format persists? And throwing Galway and Antrim into Leinster isnt really going to help the likes of wexford and offally all that much.

Time for the GAA to show a little bit of innovation and obviously be brave enough to scrap the current format and at least try something different. Not sure Brennan has the courage..................time will tell

Sky Blue · July 05, 2007, 01:24:09 PM

Moving Antrim & Galway into Leinster isn't radical at all and has been suggested now for a number of years. It could be done for next year without to much disruption to the fixtures calendar. If Galway were in any way interested it would happen. I don't understand why they're not intertested in a couple of good qualility competitive matches before the round robin or even a Leinster title?

tayto · July 05, 2007, 01:55:52 PM

Quote from: heineken_on_tap on July 05, 2007, 01:12:03 PM
Surely an open draw is the solution - ok the muster championship can be very good and obviously a munster medal means alot to any players. But you have to look at the bigger picture - is hurling is general going anywhere if the current format persists? And throwing Galway and Antrim into Leinster isnt really going to help the likes of wexford and offally all that much.

Time for the GAA to show a little bit of innovation and obviously be brave enough to scrap the current format and at least try something different. Not sure Brennan has the courage..................time will tell

Donmt agree that the open draw is the solution necessarily and it'll will never garner enough support to get passed so it's pointless talking about it.

Hound · July 05, 2007, 02:05:17 PM

Quote from: GalteeMountainBoy on July 05, 2007, 12:30:14 PM
How about an Option 3;

The Offaly, Wexford and Laois County Boards set themselves the target of landing an All Ireland Minor title by 2011/12.

If one is to study the quasi-revival in the fortunes of Dublin hurling at the moment, the key to it seems to be a huge emphasis placed on development and performance at Juvenile and Colleges grades.

A "quasi revival" is a bit strong. We havent managed to beat Wexford or Offaly in championship yet, never mind one of the decent teams. We're hopeful and positive, but its a long road from a bit of underage success to senior success.

heineken_on_tap · July 05, 2007, 04:11:53 PM

Donmt agree that the open draw is the solution necessarily and it'll will never garner enough support to get passed so it's pointless talking about it.
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Sure years ago people said the GAAwould never open up croke park - it couldnt be done not in a million years and it was pointless talking about it. untill a few people with foresight came along and said lets put this on the agenda...........ok an open draw may not work out but why not try it for 3 years or so. If its not working then revert to the way it was. Surely it is worth a try

tayto · July 05, 2007, 04:17:41 PM

I'd say go for the two championship system for a couple of years, i just cant see the point in getting rid of the munster championship. With a lot of work in at underage in Offaly, Antrim, Laois, Wexford, Galway and Dublin then the rest of ireland championship coud be just as entertaining. Why not try that for a few years, thus keeping the munster championship. If it's not working 5 years down the line then try an open draw.