Messages

I've referred the Jinxy and Zulu proposals to a Committee (of which I'm the sole member) and this is their version of the new All Ireland based on an April -June League.
Top of D1 are League Champions, cupeens for top of Divisions 2, 3 and 4.
16 teams qualify for an All Ireland Championship -
Top 2 in D4
Top 3 in D3
Top 4 in D2
Top 7 in D1.
You could seed the top 4 in Round 1, D3 and 4 teams to be guaranteed home advantage if drawn against a higher team.
No first round games to be played in Croke Park.  If Dublin get a home draw and Parnell is too small move to some other County's ground.
You can still keep the Provincials of course.

My preference would be that all teams compete in the All Ireland. 1 v 32 etc. 16 teams qualify 1 v 16 (if all games in the previous round went with top seeds).

That format or some version of it would be vastly superior to what we have. Lar says Galway v Mayo sets the pulse racing well it doesn't really in the Connacht championship as the loser is out but if you had the system I'm suggesting if Mayo met Galway this year it would only be in a straight championship knockout in Galway or Mayo. Even next year they'll play each other in the league but if they met again it would be at All Ireland quarter final stage or better.

Galway winning Connacht but feeling the year was a disappointment after being beaten by Tipp and seeing Mayo prove they are actually the better team proves the provincials are not what they were.

Would you be open to the following:

Round 1:  Div 3 v Div 4 open draw, most games will be held by end of June
Round 2:  Div 2 v 8 winners from Round 1 open draw, play as soon as possible, but before mid-July

Round 3:  Div 1 v 8 winners from Round 2...provincial winners(s), if not already qualified, to be added here via a play-in game versus lowest standing seed(s).  To be played by end of July.  Round 3 will be seeded based on league position.  Provincial winners get home venue.

Revert to Quarter finals, semi finals and final for the last 8, seeding based on league position.  All games at Croke Park.

General rules:

Rounds 1 and 2 will run in the middle of provincial championships - minimum 7 days between games though.
No replays, in fact no extra time either - play on until winning score achieved.  That might be a minute over allotted time, or 5 mins.

Colm Cooper...Simply the best...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41dSdsGnTMc

Sam Maguire odds per pp:

Dublin 5/4
Kerry 7/2
Mayo 9/2
Tyrone 8/1
Donegal 20/1
Galway 25/1
Cork 33/1
Roscommon 40/1
Monaghan 40/1
Kildare 50/1
Cavan 66/1
Tipperary 80/1
Meath 80/1

Everyone else 125/1 or longer.

Anyone think both Donegal and Monaghan at good odds? 

Free kicks must go forward would be a start.

On Youtube...BBC Northern Ireland series "The Story of Ireland"  Written and Presented by Fergal Keane in 2011

Episode 1 of 5 Age of Invasions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN0ndWAgA6o&list=PLDB7C584D70B31973

Episode 2 of 5 Age of Conquest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPXaPhpmvtc&index=2&list=PLDB7C584D70B31973

Episode 3 of 5 Age of Revolution
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R53xY9KiZt8&index=3&list=PLDB7C584D70B31973

Episode 4 of 5 Age of Union
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbOD1fi8omw&list=PLDB7C584D70B31973&index=4

Episode 5 of 5 Age of Nations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO2J70RLzA8&list=PLDB7C584D70B31973&index=5

The one in Derry is called, in English, Padraig Pearse's GAC.

The one in Roscommon, Galway and every other example I looked at, is called Padraig Pearses GAA Club.

The Limerick club is called Na Piarsaigh.

So the Limerick one translates as Pearses not Pearse?  Use of the plural in Irish too. Why I wonder?

There are two Pearses.

From Kerry:  Pearse Bros.Churchill Gaa Club

GAA Black card offences are:

1 To deliberately pull down an opponent

2 To deliberately trip an opponent with hand, arm or foot

3 To deliberately body collide with an opponent after he has played the ball away or for the purpose of taking him out of the movement of play

4 To use abusive or provocative language or gestures to players

5 To remonstrate in an aggressive manner with a match official.

Well Holy God...when a man is in front of you and bearing down on goal, push him off-balance (he may fall to ground or maybe not) rather than pull him down and no black card!!!

JC,

How long does it take to get anything right in the GAA?  I think the football league is finally there...8 teams per division, top two in the final of each division and the finals played the weekend after the league portion ends.  Even if the need for a final goes against what a league competition is about.  It took generations to get there and hopefully a proper hurling league will come along soon, as the current hurling structure is way off. 

The fact that Wexford can win the league from a lower division is wrong, not to mention the fact that Offaly can do likewise with exactly one league win and a scoring difference of -39, while the team just above them in the second division table were +49...a difference of 88 points over just 5 games!!! 

Wexford, Galway and Limerick are certainly top-level counties and one of them may well win the league.  But they will not have played Clare or Dublin (Div 1 teams) and possibly other Div 1 teams if results go a certain way.  Calling themselves league champions without playing in the top division is just ludicrous.

I must comment at this stage that the hurling games recently have been of an excellent standard and very enjoyable viewing (I watch all games via GAAGO as I'm "out foreign").  The pitches seem to be a much improved, hence the games are of much higher quality with some being close to championship fare.

Back to hurling league format - at least they have sorted the promotion from the Third Division to the Second Division (which are called Division 1A and 2a oddly), with the winners of the lower division gaining automatic promotion.  Call the divisions what they are for the luv a Jaysus, 1, 2 3, and 4.  We know what "Division 1b" is - it is the second level, so call it Division 2.

Currently, there seems to be 9 strong hurling counties - the Div 1 sides plus the top 3 from the next level.  A closed shop league, with just those 9 counties, would not be the way to go.  Hence my suggestion for 10 teams, with one team relegated and promoted each year.  Top team wins the league, no finals or semi-finals, as 9 league games are enough.  Currently, the league finalists will play 8 games, assuming no replays from quarter-final stage onward, so adding an extra week is not that much.  There will be plenty of mid to lower league games that proper managers will use to try players on the fringes of the team/panel, so individual  players should not see action in all 9 games causing burnout or whatever.

We'll presume Offaly, Kerry and Laois are the current leaders for that 10th spot and will also presume they will get some beatings in Div 1.  Is that helping them will be the big question. 

It is interesting and sad to hear that your friend reported that the lesser competitions and counties had virtually no true voice at the top table.  Perhaps the Christy Ring counties need to band together and run their part of the show without being "token" reps at meetings?  One huge step forward will be running the Christy Ring early enough that the winner plays in the Leinster round robin that same year, instead of waiting for the following year.

Keeping counties at a high level is also important - the GAA needs to look at Offaly in particular.  How were they allowed to fall off the pace so far in hurling?  Their footballers could be in Div 4 next year, depending on Sunday's game against Laois (another football county that has fallen quite a bit).  Has the game changed so much over the decades that the resources required in the 80's, if employed at the same level nowadays, are totally inadequate?  We had coaches back in the day, they were just not very good - "right lads, two laps to warm up, a few exercises and a game of backs and forwards - same as last week".  I'm sure the level of coaching is much better in all counties, so why are the Offaly and Laois teams not keeping up, and making it an elite 11 counties at a minimum?  Have all their resources gone into the facilities in Tullamore and Portlaoise, leaving nothing for player development?

It will be interesting to watch Dublin hurling over the next few years as well, keeping an eye on the funding issue.  Other things worth watching include the progress of Kildare, who are making strides in the right direction.  Carlow, Antrim and Westmeath seem to be building a solid platform as well and will be capable of competing and winning at just-under Div 1 levels.  Those 4, plus Offaly, Laois and Kerry, would make a competitive league grouping or a good championship round robin.  Down, London and Meath are the next level to bring up a notch.  Down have fallen a good bit - maybe you can throw some overview on what happened there, as you are intimate with the goings on in that part of the country.

That's it for now...

Is it illegal to tackle an opponent from behind?

No, but it's more difficult not to actually foul in so doing.

Does pushing earn a black card issue, from behind or otherwise, if the player being pushed falls to the ground? 

Were quotas in place and the numbers fudged to show these "KPI's" were hit every week/month/quarter?  Everyone happy then...

Make it a pure league.  10 teams.  9 games.  No semi-finals or finals.  Top team are league champs.

Yeah because that'll really help the likes of Westmeath, Carlow, Kerry, Offaly and Antrim develop.

Unfortunately I don't think systems make a huge difference. The development work has to come from within.

Maybe ask those counties just below the top table what they think rather than listen to the bleatings of Limerick and the other ex players from top counties throwing in their tuppence worth.

Do you know for a fact that these "lesser" counties are not asked about things?  Any system that allows the team finishing fourth in the second division to compete for the overall title is madness.  In fact, letting any team from the second division having a title shot is downright wrong.

Let Newcastle play Chelsea for the Premiership?  Or Leeds, who might finish sixth or so? Madness.

But go right ahead and say this is the best way to improve the lesser counties. 

How do counties stay at the top table?  Why did Offaly decline so far?  And Laois and Antrim? 

This is a discussion forum...discuss.

Make it a pure league.  10 teams.  9 games.  No semi-finals or finals.  Top team are league champs.

Level with Mickey Harte with 3 titles each.

Something tells me neither man is done winning.

Why would Tyrone or Donegal want to draw their games?

No downside to either team if they draw...or their opponents either.  In neutral venues, Tyrone and Donegal would probably be tipped to win.  Since Kerry and Mayo  have the home advantage, that couple of points swing might make a very tight margin in the end.  Throw the price of a pint on both games ending level and go home a half hour earlier on Saturday night and Sunday night could be enjoyable.  I see 15/2 for each game to end level by the way.

Kerry 1-6 Cork 0-3 at half time.