Single Tier Championship Restructure

[Hawkeye9212]

How would you reform the championship without creating a second tier?

A proposal which retains regional divisions.

Divide the 32 teams into 4 conferences: North, East, West, and South.

The 4 conference champions advance to the All-Ireland knockout stages.

The conferences can have a round-robin group stage followed by a knockout stage. Alternatively, they could be straight knockout from the start. The second option allows for a backdoor into the All-Ireland.

I know that it will hard for some teams to accept being moved out of their province but I've tried to retain the regional rivalries as much as I possibly could.

Northern Conference

Cavan, Derry, Antrim, Down, Fermanagh, Armagh, Monaghan, and Tyrone.

Eastern Conference

Dublin, Louth, Meath, Westmeath, Offaly, Kildare, Wicklow, and Laois.

Southern Conference

Kerry, Limerick, Cork, Tipperary, Carlow, Wexford, Waterford, and London.

Western Conference

Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Longford, Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, and Clare.

Fixed. Donegal are in the West.

[ardtole]

I'd imagine donegal will feel aggrieved

[APM]

Yes, I agree,
Retaining London and disposing of Donegal seems harsh.
Maybe remove London from the South,
Take Clare from the West and put them into the South
Take Donegal back from Oblivion and put them into the West. 

There you have it.  But it's all very academic because it's never going to happen.

[ardtole]

Why do cavan get to play in 2 different groups

[Hawkeye9212]

That was a mistake. I've fixed it.

[Rossfan]

Kerry would still have a cakewalk to the All Ireland series.

[Hawkeye9212]

Yes, I agree,
Retaining London and disposing of Donegal seems harsh.
Maybe remove London from the South,
Take Clare from the West and put them into the South
Take Donegal back from Oblivion and put them into the West. 

There you have it.  But it's all very academic because it's never going to happen.

Agreed. Putting Clare into the South makes sense.

[Hawkeye9212]

Kerry would still have a cakewalk to the All Ireland series.

And Dublin but a lot of people want to retain the provincial structure. Either way, Dublin and Kerry will have an easy route to the All-Ireland series.

[BennyCake]

Strange that the Donegal, being the most northern county, aren't in the Northern Conference.

[Zulu]

I can't ever understand this obsession with retaining 'local rivalries'. Yeah some are special and when neighbours are both going well they are great but there are plenty of neighbouring counties who are not in the same province so you don't need to have regions mirror the provinces too much.

There's a heap of posts on the super 8's but the issue is the provincial structure. I just see how they bring more to the party than they hinder.

[Rossfan]

Provincial Championships give a lot more Counties a chance if silverware, they bring bigger crowds than the Qualifiers do or random Groups would.
4 Counties have won AIs this decade.
3 of them have won NFLs + Mayowestros.
I think 10 Counties have won Provincials this decade.
I don't see what changing the Traditional Provinces to 4 "Conferences" would achieve.

[Hawkeye9212]

10 counties have won a Provincial championship.

Kerry
Dublin
Donegal
Mayo
Meath
Tyrone
Roscommon
Cork
Monaghan
Galway

[BennyCake]

10 counties have won a Provincial championship.

Kerry
Dublin
Donegal
Mayo
Meath
Tyrone
Roscommon
Cork
Monaghan
Galway

Hmmm...

[Hawkeye9212]

Hmmm...

They won in 2010.

Sligo and Limerick both reached their provincial finals in 2010.

[Rossfan]

As did Louth the true Leinster  Champions of 2010
2000 to 2009 only 4 Counties won the AI and I cant remember who won NFLs.
At least 12 won Provincials.