And by 'we', I mean the GAA.
Yesterday was one of the most enjoyable days of action I can remember in a long time.
There was a huge sense of excitement & tension across all the divisions (well 1-3 anyway) as the games progressed and teams moved up or down in the table relative to one another.
Added to this, we had great crowds showing up at grounds all over the country for hurling and football on a gorgeous Spring day.
I'm all for tradition, but it seems abundantly clear to me that the league is our premier competition in terms of quality & competitiveness.
Could it become the premier competition in the hearts & minds of the average GAA fan?
The answer to all our fixture woes, and the lack of competitiveness in the championship is staring us in the face.
I thought this picture of the Wexford lads stretching after the game pretty much summed up the whole day.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C8eWPMLXUAAx5Mj.jpg:large)
p.s. I'm not interested in rehashing loads of different 'alternative' structures for the championship.
The alternative is the league.
It's really that simple.
Absolutely Jinxy. Certainly worth considering.
Yesterday was great enjoyment all around the country...unless you're from Laois.
That was some game with Offaly yesterday - a hurling type score. No Ulster type boring-as-shite defences there.
And the games were competitive and generated excitement because the League is graded.
Bring on the Senior, Inter and Junior Championships on a League basis.
Quote from: Shamrock Shore on April 03, 2017, 11:00:12 AM
Absolutely Jinxy. Certainly worth considering.
Yesterday was great enjoyment all around the country...unless you're from Laois.
That was some game with Offaly yesterday - a hurling type score. No Ulster type boring-as-shite defences there.
Ohh....Low blow...See you on May 21st...
Quote from: Shamrock Shore on April 03, 2017, 11:00:12 AM
Absolutely Jinxy. Certainly worth considering.
Yesterday was great enjoyment all around the country...unless you're from Laois.
That was some game with Offaly yesterday - a hurling type score. No Ulster type boring-as-shite defences there.
I wish Derry was in Ulster
Quote from: JoG2 on April 03, 2017, 11:36:36 AM
Quote from: Shamrock Shore on April 03, 2017, 11:00:12 AM
Absolutely Jinxy. Certainly worth considering.
Yesterday was great enjoyment all around the country...unless you're from Laois.
That was some game with Offaly yesterday - a hurling type score. No Ulster type boring-as-shite defences there.
I wish Derry was in Ulster
Same goes for Armagh.
Quote from: Shamrock Shore on April 03, 2017, 11:00:12 AM
Absolutely Jinxy. Certainly worth considering.
Yesterday was great enjoyment all around the country...unless you're from Laois.
That was some game with Offaly yesterday - a hurling type score. No Ulster type boring-as-shite defences there.
Yes, but that kind of game now gets you into division 4.
A lot of Leinster teams doing well in the league.
Suits our brand of football.
Quote from: Shamrock Shore on April 03, 2017, 11:00:12 AM
Absolutely Jinxy. Certainly worth considering.
Yesterday was great enjoyment all around the country...unless you're from Laois.
That was some game with Offaly yesterday - a hurling type score. No Ulster type boring-as-shite defences there.
Tis "only the league". We're a championship team.
The league seem to take on a new life next year crowds seemed to be well up despite certain sections of the Media telling us Football was dying on its feet.
The league is a great competition in its own right and should be recognized as such not as a pre season competition which let to the stupid comment that playing Dublin in the Final was a booby prize.
Any day that Kilkenny are beaten is a great day. Meath Schadenfreude is worth a few bonus marks especially for farmers with bad or boggy land who managed to stay up in Division 1. How Armagh managed not to go up was truly mysterious.
Days like yesterday are exciting and we'd all like to see more of that but I suppose part of it is because of the unpredictability of it all. A lot of the league teams aren't putting out their strongest teams and there is an element of trying out new players and tactics. So for example in Div 1 most of the teams were going into the final day with something important to play for and the one team who didn't Roscommon won anyway.
I think most of us would agree that you would expect Dublin, Kerry and Mayo take it all a lot more seriously if it led to winning Sam, yet the same two teams end up in the final anyways.
What it does show that the other divisions are a lot more interesting when they don't have to play the big guns
I've been saying this for years. Once we link the league to winning Sam a lot of our problems will be solved, especially if the provincial championship are dropped from the All Ireland. Play them stand alone if you want but it's the league that needs to be linked to the All Ireland.
Quote from: Fuzzman on April 03, 2017, 03:05:12 PM
Days like yesterday are exciting and we'd all like to see more of that but I suppose part of it is because of the unpredictability of it all. A lot of the league teams aren't putting out their strongest teams and there is an element of trying out new players and tactics. So for example in Div 1 most of the teams were going into the final day with something important to play for and the one team who didn't Roscommon won anyway.
I think most of us would agree that you would expect Dublin, Kerry and Mayo take it all a lot more seriously if it led to winning Sam, yet the same two teams end up in the final anyways.
What it does show that the other divisions are a lot more interesting when they don't have to play the big guns
This was the same in divisions 2 & 3 and it's the very definition of meaningful competition.
Win/lose your last game = promotion or not.
Win/lose your last game = relegation or not.
You have the achievement of being promoted, but you also have the achievement of not being relegated.
As such, there is a genuine incentive to win every game you play, and in addition there is an incentive to win by as much as you can because scoring difference could come into play.
Yesterday was not an anomaly.
The last day of the league has been great stuff for the last few years.
The structure is perfect bar the 'poisoned chalice' of having to play a final, often against the same team you played the week before.
Couldn't agree more. The League is the answer to the fixture problem and do away with the Championship. Provincial championships could be a pre-season competition.
Any reason not to have hurling and football on the same weekends?
Alternate saturday evening/sunday afternoon fixtures?
I don't think there's much crossover in terms of the fan-bases for the two codes to be honest.
Any floating voters can still go to both if they want.
Quote from: Jinxy on April 03, 2017, 05:24:46 PM
Any reason not to have hurling and football on the same weekends?
Alternate saturday evening/sunday afternoon fixtures?
I don't think there's much crossover in terms of the fan-bases for the two codes to be honest.
Any floating voters can still go to both if they want.
There are dual fans in Cork, Galway, Dublin, Tipp etc
There are some, but it's delusional to think it's anything other than a minority.
Ever been to a hurling/football double header involving Dublin?
Cork and Tipp don't have a big football following , same with the Dublin hurlers..
Quote from: Rossfan on April 03, 2017, 11:12:26 AM
And the games were competitive and generated excitement because the League is graded.
Bring on the Senior, Inter and Junior Championships on a League basis.
rossfan, i thought kevin and liam hadn't a bit of heed on the league, so is promoting the league to the premier competition going to upset our 3 year plan?
I'll have to read it again.
I think he has us winning an All Ireland Qtr Final in 2019.
The "Big 8" thing will be in by then.
So maybe the plan is just a work of fiction or maybe it was done up last Saturday (1/4)
There's an inverse relationship between Roscommon's level of performance in the league vs. the championship.
As such, I predict a long summer ahead.
Quote from: Jinxy on April 03, 2017, 11:05:00 PM
There's an inverse relationship between Roscommon's level of performance in the league vs. the championship.
As such, I predict a long summer ahead.
There's a pretty strong relationship between teams getting relegated from Division 1 and having miserable championships.
The fact that Roscommon conceded the highest number of scores in all four divisions (135) says a world.
It tells us we have a crap defence.
Starting the 2nd half last Sunday we had 3 forwards for a HB line with 3 defenders sitting unused on the bench.
So I presume the plan is to play a 3-8-3 formation for the Summer.
Quote from: twohands!!! on April 03, 2017, 11:10:24 PM
Quote from: Jinxy on April 03, 2017, 11:05:00 PM
There's an inverse relationship between Roscommon's level of performance in the league vs. the championship.
As such, I predict a long summer ahead.
There's a pretty strong relationship between teams getting relegated from Division 1 and having miserable championships.
The fact that Roscommon conceded the highest number of scores in all four divisions (135) says a world.
What world?
Mars? Oz? Tatooinee?
Good thread and I agree with the sentiments expressed by most. The league is a great competition only hampered by the fact that often it's played in shitty weather. Last Sunday was just brilliant and we won't have anything near as exciting until August at best.
I'd go along with the provincial championships in Feb/Mar/Apr with the league moving to May/Jun/Jul. QF's/Super 8's made up of top 4 in D1, Top 2 D2, and winners of D3 and D4 - like the old days of the NFL. The D3 and D4 winners might struggle these days but I think they'd deserve it more than a team that finishes 5th in D1 or 3rd in D2. We could look at the option of granting the provincial champions half a league point as an incentive?
For hurling also I think a league basis makes a lot more sense. The current league structure isn't all that bad, served up 3 excellent quarter finals to be fair.
Quote from: Fuzzman on April 03, 2017, 03:05:12 PM
Days like yesterday are exciting and we'd all like to see more of that but I suppose part of it is because of the unpredictability of it all. A lot of the league teams aren't putting out their strongest teams and there is an element of trying out new players and tactics. So for example in Div 1 most of the teams were going into the final day with something important to play for and the one team who didn't Roscommon won anyway.
I think most of us would agree that you would expect Dublin, Kerry and Mayo take it all a lot more seriously if it led to winning Sam, yet the same two teams end up in the final anyways.
What it does show that the other divisions are a lot more interesting when they don't have to play the big guns
I thought those 2 were only warming up because they do not have to peak until August!
Quote from: magpie seanie on April 04, 2017, 12:29:12 PM
Good thread and I agree with the sentiments expressed by most. The league is a great competition only hampered by the fact that often it's played in shitty weather. Last Sunday was just brilliant and we won't have anything near as exciting until August at best.
I'd go along with the provincial championships in Feb/Mar/Apr with the league moving to May/Jun/Jul. QF's/Super 8's made up of top 4 in D1, Top 2 D2, and winners of D3 and D4 - like the old days of the NFL. The D3 and D4 winners might struggle these days but I think they'd deserve it more than a team that finishes 5th in D1 or 3rd in D2. We could look at the option of granting the provincial champions half a league point as an incentive?
For hurling also I think a league basis makes a lot more sense. The current league structure isn't all that bad, served up 3 excellent quarter finals to be fair.
Imagine if last Sunday was the opening weekend of the league instead of the closing weekend.
When the clocks go forward, the weather changes and people come out of their winter hibernation, they're looking for places to go and things to do at the weekend, particularly as families.
You'd get really good, consistent crowds.
There are so many benefits and all it really requires is a change in emphasis.
I don't think the 'It's only the league' mindset really exists anymore.
I think 'it's only the league' exists for teams like Dublin, Mayo, Kerry. The top teams use the league to see if they can find a few new players or whatever.
The remaining counties try to get as high as they can, to help prepare them for the championship. The more time you spend as a D1 team, the better you are going to be, and the better you can perform in the Championship.
Quote from: Jinxy on April 04, 2017, 02:59:00 PM
Quote from: magpie seanie on April 04, 2017, 12:29:12 PM
Good thread and I agree with the sentiments expressed by most. The league is a great competition only hampered by the fact that often it's played in shitty weather. Last Sunday was just brilliant and we won't have anything near as exciting until August at best.
I'd go along with the provincial championships in Feb/Mar/Apr with the league moving to May/Jun/Jul. QF's/Super 8's made up of top 4 in D1, Top 2 D2, and winners of D3 and D4 - like the old days of the NFL. The D3 and D4 winners might struggle these days but I think they'd deserve it more than a team that finishes 5th in D1 or 3rd in D2. We could look at the option of granting the provincial champions half a league point as an incentive?
For hurling also I think a league basis makes a lot more sense. The current league structure isn't all that bad, served up 3 excellent quarter finals to be fair.
Imagine if last Sunday was the opening weekend of the league instead of the closing weekend.
When the clocks go forward, the weather changes and people come out of their winter hibernation, they're looking for places to go and things to do at the weekend, particularly as families.
You'd get really good, consistent crowds.
There are so many benefits and all it really requires is a change in emphasis.
I don't think the 'It's only the league' mindset really exists anymore.
Have you seen us recently?
Yeah, but you've an 'It's only the championship' mindset as well.
Quote from: AZOffaly on April 04, 2017, 03:04:00 PM
I think 'it's only the league' exists for teams like Dublin, Mayo, Kerry. The top teams use the league to see if they can find a few new players or whatever.
The remaining counties try to get as high as they can, to help prepare them for the championship. The more time you spend as a D1 team, the better you are going to be, and the better you can perform in the Championship.
But even if that's true, and I'm sure it is to the same extent as it once was, it would be different if the league was linked to the championship. As Jinxy says, people want to do things a bit different, going to a home national league game on a lovely summers evening would attract plenty of people who aren't diehard GAA people.
There are very few negatives sides to making the league a central focus of our season.
I actually agree with that. I'm just saying the 'it's only the league' is still there, but really only for the super heavyweights. I hate the thoughts of losing Provincial Championships. I know how much it would mean to TIpperary or Clare to win one. And not a pre-season version of it either, but I don't know how to embed it in a season where the league runs through the summer.
I'd take beating Sligo every time over beating Cavan. Local rivalries are what the league just can't replicate.
Everything in the GAA is driven on it, apart from Dublin's Croke Park-sponsored soul vacuum of a set-up, because no one can rival that.
Quote from: Syferus on April 04, 2017, 04:11:03 PM
I'd take beating Sligo every time over beating Cavan. Local rivalries are what the league just can't replicate.
Everything in the GAA is driven on it, apart from Dublin's Croke Park-sponsored soul vacuum of a set-up, because no one can rival that.
The league is exciting, because teams want to operate at the highest level they can, because of what that means for their future championship propects. Tipperary (and Clare) want to be operating in Division 1 and Division 2, not because that's the holy grail, but because by being there, and trading blows with Donegal, Galway, Cork, Meath, Kerry, Dublin, you will inevitably prepare yourself for what really are the bigger fish, the Championship(s).
Now, I think what Jinxy is suggesting here, is that basically the Leagues become the main prize in and of themselves. That would take a bit of a mind shift alright. It would be great to have our leagues played in decent weather, and have them be a central part of the year. They are getting there, but as I said, largely (in my view) because of what it means with respect to a teams chances in championship. Teams still want to win Provincial titles and All Ireland titles. The league helps them prepare to do that.
Quote from: AZOffaly on April 04, 2017, 04:07:02 PM
I actually agree with that. I'm just saying the 'it's only the league' is still there, but really only for the super heavyweights. I hate the thoughts of losing Provincial Championships. I know how much it would mean to TIpperary or Clare to win one. And not a pre-season version of it either, but I don't know how to embed it in a season where the league runs through the summer.
Something's got to give.
I'd rather reduce the amount of league games if it meant for a league format for the championship. Play the provincials between league and championship.
Quote from: Syferus on April 04, 2017, 04:11:03 PM
I'd take beating Sligo every time over beating Cavan. Local rivalries are what the league just can't replicate.
Everything in the GAA is driven on it, apart from Dublin's Croke Park-sponsored soul vacuum of a set-up, because no one can rival that.
Kildare threw the game against Galway just so we wouldn't be promoted.
Don't talk to me about local rivalries. >:(
Quote from: Jinxy on April 04, 2017, 05:18:14 PM
Quote from: Syferus on April 04, 2017, 04:11:03 PM
I'd take beating Sligo every time over beating Cavan. Local rivalries are what the league just can't replicate.
Everything in the GAA is driven on it, apart from Dublin's Croke Park-sponsored soul vacuum of a set-up, because no one can rival that.
Kildare threw the game against Galway just so we wouldn't be promoted.
Don't talk to me about local rivalries. >:(
We can count on your support so next Sunday Jinxy?!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9HghSsB6Mc (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9HghSsB6Mc)
;)
Quote from: Syferus on April 04, 2017, 04:11:03 PM
I'd take beating Sligo every time over beating Cavan. Local rivalries are what the league just can't replicate.
Everything in the GAA is driven on it, apart from Dublin's Croke Park-sponsored soul vacuum of a set-up, because no one can rival that.
I don't know why people claim this as it's patently not true. For a start any competition will provide games between local rivals, in fact a league could provide many teams with more local rivalries than provincial championships and importantly they would against teams of similar standard.
I know that AZ and others would like to keep the provincials as a goal for the likes of Tipp but I can't see the merit in keeping something that will deliver a Tipp, Louth or Leitrim win once every 40 years but have little else going for it.
Play the leagues, seed teams based on their league position and play 1 v 32, 2 v 31 etc. in a knock competition to win Sam.
Quote from: Zulu on April 04, 2017, 06:19:32 PM
Quote from: Syferus on April 04, 2017, 04:11:03 PM
I'd take beating Sligo every time over beating Cavan. Local rivalries are what the league just can't replicate.
Everything in the GAA is driven on it, apart from Dublin's Croke Park-sponsored soul vacuum of a set-up, because no one can rival that.
I don't know why people claim this as it's patently not true. For a start any competition will provide games between local rivals, in fact a league could provide many teams with more local rivalries than provincial championships and importantly they would against teams of similar standard.
I know that AZ and others would like to keep the provincials as a goal for the likes of Tipp but I can't see the merit in keeping something that will deliver a Tipp, Louth or Leitrim win once every 40 years but have little else going for it.
Play the leagues, seed teams based on their league position and play 1 v 32, 2 v 31 etc. in a knock competition to win Sam.
Zulu, is your surname Duffy?
Syf, would you rather beat Sligo to win a Division 3 title or beat them to win a place in a Connacht final where you get destroyed by Mayo?
Quote from: Jinxy on April 05, 2017, 09:10:42 AM
Syf, would you rather beat Sligo to win a Division 3 title or beat them to win a place in a Connacht final where you get destroyed by Mayo?
Jinxy, would you rather beat Westmeath to win a Division 2 title or beat them to win a place in a Leinster final where you get hammered (again) by the Dubs ?
I'd rather beat them to win division 2.
Quote from: Syferus on April 04, 2017, 04:11:03 PM
I'd take beating Sligo every time over beating Cavan. Local rivalries are what the league just can't replicate.
Everything in the GAA is driven on it, apart from Dublin's Croke Park-sponsored soul vacuum of a set-up, because no one can rival that.
Given up on trying to beat Mayo and Galway?
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.
Nah,, don't see this working.
What I'd like to see happening and what I expect to see aren't always the same and this issue is an example of what I mean. The cut and thrust of the championship will never be replaced by meaningless matches in remote places when one or both teams know they ain't going to advance from their division or whatever the hell you'd call it.
If two teams meet with one team assured of topping the division and the other certain of finishing bottom of the heap or near it, what interest would any sane person have in the outcome?
Mayo vs Galway, Kerry vs Dublin or Meath/Tyrone vs the whole of civilisation are games to set the pulse racing, whereas two bottom of the division sides would be lucky to get two small boys and a dog to turn up.
Forget it folks, Tyrone will play civilised football long before Gaeldom will drop the championship format.
Quote from: Lar Naparka on April 05, 2017, 11:25:40 AM
Nah,, don't see this working.
What I'd like to see happening and what I expect to see aren't always the same and this issue is an example of what I mean. The cut and thrust of the championship will never be replaced by meaningless matches in remote places when one or both teams know they ain't going to advance from their division or whatever the hell you'd call it.
If two teams meet with one team assured of topping the division and the other certain of finishing bottom of the heap or near it, what interest would any sane person have in the outcome?
Mayo vs Galway, Kerry vs Dublin or Meath/Tyrone vs the whole of civilisation are games to set the pulse racing, whereas two bottom of the division sides would be lucky to get two small boys and a dog to turn up.
Forget it folks, Tyrone will play civilised football long before Gaeldom will drop the championship format.
What about when one or both teams know they ain't going to win a provincial championship?
Again, I think you're discounting the motivational effect of potential relegation.
Quote from: Rossfan on April 05, 2017, 11:15:20 AM
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.
Ok Zulu, the Comm a tee has a compromise for you -
Top 4 in D1, Top 2 in D2 and winners of D3 and D4 qualify for Round 2.
Bottom 2 in each Division are eliminated and the remaining 16 play a Round 1.
Progression should be based on merit.
Why should the winners of division 3 & 4 go through while loads of teams in higher divisions bow out?
Because it seems we can't be excluding the small teams?
Quote from: Rossfan on April 05, 2017, 01:34:41 PM
Because it seems we can't be excluding the small teams?
We're all small teams compared to Dublin.
I'd like to hear Zulu's plan to curtail Dublin's advantages over every other team.
Quote from: Jinxy on April 05, 2017, 11:34:22 AM
Quote from: Lar Naparka on April 05, 2017, 11:25:40 AM
Nah,, don't see this working.
What I'd like to see happening and what I expect to see aren't always the same and this issue is an example of what I mean. The cut and thrust of the championship will never be replaced by meaningless matches in remote places when one or both teams know they ain't going to advance from their division or whatever the hell you'd call it.
If two teams meet with one team assured of topping the division and the other certain of finishing bottom of the heap or near it, what interest would any sane person have in the outcome?
Mayo vs Galway, Kerry vs Dublin or Meath/Tyrone vs the whole of civilisation are games to set the pulse racing, whereas two bottom of the division sides would be lucky to get two small boys and a dog to turn up.
Forget it folks, Tyrone will play civilised football long before Gaeldom will drop the championship format.
What about when one or both teams know they ain't going to win a provincial championship?
Again, I think you're discounting the motivational effect of potential relegation.
Two points here, Jinxy; teams begin each year with varying degrees of enthusiasm and your plan just will not get off the ground.
Some (many?) know that a first round opener followed by a probable defeat by a team they are either going to be banjaxed by or a team of no-hopers like themselves won't upset them overmuch- that's been the way, c'est la vie and all that.
But upsets can happen and minnows can dare to hope. Leitrim folks are still talking about '94 and their Connacht title and will continue to do so until they win their next. For some, there is always a chance that they stuff their neighbours and get some bragging rights to shorten the winter for them. Aye, there's alway a glimmer of hope with the championships and supporters can dare to hope as long as their hopes are modest. If they don't go far, it's over for another year- back to the club scene and life goes on as usual. A minnow can expect a minimum of two games and for some like Sligo and Fermanagh in recent years and Tipp last year, they can build up a head of steam that may lead on to greater things in the future.
No hope of that with the league. Say team A lost their first two or three matches by telephone numbers and definitely would be better employed for the rest of the summer cutting turf or planting spuds or whatever. If that was the championship, they are gone and have nothing to hang about for.
Now in a league, a team may have, say, eight games to play and will have to play meaningless (for them) games whether they like it or not.
The second problem is the intransigent nature of the hierarchy who look on change and initiative in much the same way that a baby looks at bath water.
Problem is more acute in hurling.
Tipp and Cork will not give not give up their derbys and neither will Kilkenny and Wexford not on this life or any other.
LIke I said, what I'd like to see ain't going to be what what I'm gonna see.
How many teams had nothing to play for on the final day of the league?
Quote from: Jinxy on April 05, 2017, 05:59:51 PM
How many teams had nothing to play for on the final day of the league?
Kildare, oh wait....
Nothing to play for but pride.
Quote from: Zulu on April 05, 2017, 11:45:46 AM
Quote from: Rossfan on April 05, 2017, 11:15:20 AM
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.
I'll put it to the Comm a tee ;D
Do Divs 2 and 3 include the newly relegated teams?
Quote from: Rossfan on April 05, 2017, 06:50:39 PM
I'll put it to the Comm a tee ;D
Do Divs 2 and 3 include the newly relegated teams?
Yes...league positions are adjusted at end of league season...meaning Roscommon are now No. 2 in Div 2.
nobody has mentioned that the tickets cost double for the championship
maybe that's why good crowds come out
championship games are overpriced
Quote from: seafoid on April 03, 2017, 02:56:12 PM
Any day that Kilkenny are beaten is a great day. Meath Schadenfreude is worth a few bonus marks especially for farmers with bad or boggy land who managed to stay up in Division 1. How Armagh managed not to go up was truly mysterious.
Brilliant post foid.
I hate Kilkenny with a passion and as for us??????? :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(