Ulster Club IFC/JFC 2023

[tonto1888]

Sunday 10th Dec 2023
Intermediate Final
1pm
Ballyhaise v St Patrick's Cullyhanna in Castleblayney

is it not the athletic grounds?

No. Castleblayney as stated.

A double header with the senior final in Newry or Omagh would make more sense surely?

you would have thought so

[Armagh18]

Pitches mightnt stick double headers too well?

[statto]

League is taken seriously. Championship is far better when theres jeopardy rather than another mini league. Anyway just my opinion anyway. 

I'd question how seriously league is taken. After a few games it's pretty clear who is in with a chance of winning/promotion and who is likely to get relegated. After that it's no different to any other league, linked or unlinked. Only playing 14 games also diminishes the league in my opinion.

1)Back to 4 divisions of 11/12 teams playing each other twice, top team goes up and 2nd-5th enter play offs to keep it interesting towards the end. Bottom 2 go down. If that's too many fixtures then 5 divisions of 9/10 teams could be used instead (and maybe scrap the play off idea).

2)Straight knock out championship unlinked to league. Relegation play offs in championship.

3) introduce a junior B championship for the bottom 8 clubs.

4) I'd continue to allow 2nds teams to play in the league system but they would have to play in the reserve championship.

That would leave roughly 42 teams in the championship structure  (minus Cross II, Killeavy II, Clann Eireann II) - 12 senior, 12 intermediate, 10 junior, 8 junior B

Was not the case in 2a this year Tullysaran in first 6 games won 4 of those including away to Culloville(league winners) and Cullyhanna (championship winners) I don't think they won another game after May lost 8/9 in a row and only stayed up with a draw on last day. 

The introduction of a junior b championship may be a decent idea, outside Clann Eireann seconds think there is a big gap between the bottom and top of junior. 

[Armagh18]

Would be in favour of a junior B championship myself. Give smaller clubs something to aim for. A fair few higher junior teams would be yoyoing between intermediate and junior while the lower teams realistically are miles off going up

[bennydorano]

Hear there's a bit of a push for seconds teams from more of the bigger clubs in Armagh so Junior championship could get a bit of a revitalising

[ranch]

Hear there's a bit of a push for seconds teams from more of the bigger clubs in Armagh so Junior championship could get a bit of a revitalising

I personally don't like this as I think they should compete in the reserve championship. Let the smaller clubs compete for the junior championship.
You'll never convince me that winning the junior championship would mean as much to Cross or Clann Eireann as it would to Corrinshego or O'Hanlon's.

No problem with seconds teams competing in the all county league set up however.

[general_lee]

Hear there's a bit of a push for seconds teams from more of the bigger clubs in Armagh so Junior championship could get a bit of a revitalising

Are Harps entering a IIs team?

[Armagh18]

Hear there's a bit of a push for seconds teams from more of the bigger clubs in Armagh so Junior championship could get a bit of a revitalising

I personally don't like this as I think they should compete in the reserve championship. Let the smaller clubs compete for the junior championship.
You'll never convince me that winning the junior championship would mean as much to Cross or Clann Eireann as it would to Corrinshego or O'Hanlon's.

No problem with seconds teams competing in the all county league set up however.

Yeah agree, let the reserve league be left alone to give fringe players for smaller clubs a go.

Let seconds teams compete in the junior/intermediate league but then have a championship for seconds and reserve teams.

[bennydorano]

Hear there's a bit of a push for seconds teams from more of the bigger clubs in Armagh so Junior championship could get a bit of a revitalising

Are Harps entering a IIs team?

No idea but i doubt we'd have consistent numbers/ commitment(to do it right) believe it or not. Was meant to happen decade+ ago and never materialised.

[Armagh18]

Silverbridge and couple of other teams were looking at it apparently.

[general_lee]

Hear there's a bit of a push for seconds teams from more of the bigger clubs in Armagh so Junior championship could get a bit of a revitalising

Are Harps entering a IIs team?

No idea but i doubt we'd have consistent numbers/ commitment(to do it right) believe it or not. Was meant to happen decade+ ago and never materialised.

I'd say that would be the biggest hindrance for most clubs. Heard CE were getting 50+ show up for training and I'd say Cross would have similar numbers.

Hear there's a bit of a push for seconds teams from more of the bigger clubs in Armagh so Junior championship could get a bit of a revitalising

I personally don't like this as I think they should compete in the reserve championship. Let the smaller clubs compete for the junior championship.
You'll never convince me that winning the junior championship would mean as much to Cross or Clann Eireann as it would to Corrinshego or O'Hanlon's.

No problem with seconds teams competing in the all county league set up however.

Yeah agree, let the reserve league be left alone to give fringe players for smaller clubs a go.

Let seconds teams compete in the junior/intermediate league but then have a championship for seconds and reserve teams.

If a club is good enough to field a IIs team at intermediate level, why would you force them to play reserve championship? Benefits nobody.

[Armagh18]

Hear there's a bit of a push for seconds teams from more of the bigger clubs in Armagh so Junior championship could get a bit of a revitalising

Are Harps entering a IIs team?

No idea but i doubt we'd have consistent numbers/ commitment(to do it right) believe it or not. Was meant to happen decade+ ago and never materialised.

I'd say that would be the biggest hindrance for most clubs. Heard CE were getting 50+ show up for training and I'd say Cross would have similar numbers.

Hear there's a bit of a push for seconds teams from more of the bigger clubs in Armagh so Junior championship could get a bit of a revitalising

I personally don't like this as I think they should compete in the reserve championship. Let the smaller clubs compete for the junior championship.
You'll never convince me that winning the junior championship would mean as much to Cross or Clann Eireann as it would to Corrinshego or O'Hanlon's.

No problem with seconds teams competing in the all county league set up however.

Yeah agree, let the reserve league be left alone to give fringe players for smaller clubs a go.

Let seconds teams compete in the junior/intermediate league but then have a championship for seconds and reserve teams.

If a club is good enough to field a IIs team at intermediate level, why would you force them to play reserve championship? Benefits nobody.

Fair enough. Maybe just ban them playing junior championship.

[ranch]

Hear there's a bit of a push for seconds teams from more of the bigger clubs in Armagh so Junior championship could get a bit of a revitalising

Are Harps entering a IIs team?

No idea but i doubt we'd have consistent numbers/ commitment(to do it right) believe it or not. Was meant to happen decade+ ago and never materialised.

I'd say that would be the biggest hindrance for most clubs. Heard CE were getting 50+ show up for training and I'd say Cross would have similar numbers.

Hear there's a bit of a push for seconds teams from more of the bigger clubs in Armagh so Junior championship could get a bit of a revitalising

I personally don't like this as I think they should compete in the reserve championship. Let the smaller clubs compete for the junior championship.
You'll never convince me that winning the junior championship would mean as much to Cross or Clann Eireann as it would to Corrinshego or O'Hanlon's.

No problem with seconds teams competing in the all county league set up however.

Yeah agree, let the reserve league be left alone to give fringe players for smaller clubs a go.

Let seconds teams compete in the junior/intermediate league but then have a championship for seconds and reserve teams.

If a club is good enough to field a IIs team at intermediate level, why would you force them to play reserve championship? Benefits nobody.

Because their club already competes in the senior championship. They're a reserve team so should compete in the reserve championship. Let clubs who can compete in Ulster at that level battle it out for the junior/intermediate championships.
Have a Premier reserve championship for the stronger teams and then a reserve championship for the others, similar to the Down set up.

[general_lee]

Hear there's a bit of a push for seconds teams from more of the bigger clubs in Armagh so Junior championship could get a bit of a revitalising

Are Harps entering a IIs team?

No idea but i doubt we'd have consistent numbers/ commitment(to do it right) believe it or not. Was meant to happen decade+ ago and never materialised.

I'd say that would be the biggest hindrance for most clubs. Heard CE were getting 50+ show up for training and I'd say Cross would have similar numbers.

Hear there's a bit of a push for seconds teams from more of the bigger clubs in Armagh so Junior championship could get a bit of a revitalising

I personally don't like this as I think they should compete in the reserve championship. Let the smaller clubs compete for the junior championship.
You'll never convince me that winning the junior championship would mean as much to Cross or Clann Eireann as it would to Corrinshego or O'Hanlon's.

No problem with seconds teams competing in the all county league set up however.

Yeah agree, let the reserve league be left alone to give fringe players for smaller clubs a go.

Let seconds teams compete in the junior/intermediate league but then have a championship for seconds and reserve teams.

If a club is good enough to field a IIs team at intermediate level, why would you force them to play reserve championship? Benefits nobody.

Because their club already competes in the senior championship. They're a reserve team so should compete in the reserve championship. Let clubs who can compete in Ulster at that level battle it out for the junior/intermediate championships.
Have a Premier reserve championship for the stronger teams and then a reserve championship for the others, similar to the Down set up.

I wouldn't be looking at Down for how they run things and in truth reserve football in every county is probably suffering the same issues.

In an ideal world the IIs teams would play reserve but 1. Reserve football is too inconsistent & 2. They're far too strong for junior let alone reserve football.

At the end of the day CE are only the third IIs team to win the junior in 100 odd years 

[ranch]

Hear there's a bit of a push for seconds teams from more of the bigger clubs in Armagh so Junior championship could get a bit of a revitalising

Are Harps entering a IIs team?

No idea but i doubt we'd have consistent numbers/ commitment(to do it right) believe it or not. Was meant to happen decade+ ago and never materialised.

I'd say that would be the biggest hindrance for most clubs. Heard CE were getting 50+ show up for training and I'd say Cross would have similar numbers.

Hear there's a bit of a push for seconds teams from more of the bigger clubs in Armagh so Junior championship could get a bit of a revitalising

I personally don't like this as I think they should compete in the reserve championship. Let the smaller clubs compete for the junior championship.
You'll never convince me that winning the junior championship would mean as much to Cross or Clann Eireann as it would to Corrinshego or O'Hanlon's.

No problem with seconds teams competing in the all county league set up however.

Yeah agree, let the reserve league be left alone to give fringe players for smaller clubs a go.

Let seconds teams compete in the junior/intermediate league but then have a championship for seconds and reserve teams.

If a club is good enough to field a IIs team at intermediate level, why would you force them to play reserve championship? Benefits nobody.

Because their club already competes in the senior championship. They're a reserve team so should compete in the reserve championship. Let clubs who can compete in Ulster at that level battle it out for the junior/intermediate championships.
Have a Premier reserve championship for the stronger teams and then a reserve championship for the others, similar to the Down set up.

I wouldn't be looking at Down for how they run things and in truth reserve football in every county is probably suffering the same issues.

In an ideal world the IIs teams would play reserve but 1. Reserve football is too inconsistent & 2. They're far too strong for junior let alone reserve football.

At the end of the day CE are only the third IIs team to win the junior in 100 odd years 

I'd be happy for them to continue in the all county league set up. Reserve league football can be very inconsistent and doesn't suit all clubs. I've no problem with clubs looking more consistent football entering the league system.

I just don't think they should be competing against junior clubs in the junior championship. They are senior club reserve sides and should compete in the reserve championship. Once again, this is just my own opinion, I don't expect there to be change on this issue anytime soon.