Messages

Team for tonight...

1.   Kenneth O'Malley      Ballinrobe

2.   Dermot Geraghty      Shrule-Glencorrib
3.   James Kilcullen      Ballaghaderreen
4.   Keith Higgins      Ballyhaunis

5.   Peadar Gardiner      Crossmolina
6.   David Heaney      Swinford
7.   Enda Devenney      Ballina

8.   Ronan McGarrity      Ballina
9.   David Brady         Ballina

10.   Aidan Campbell      Swinford
11.   Alan Dillon         Ballintubber
12.   Ger Brady         Ballina

13.   Marty Mc Nicholas      Breaffy
14.   Aidan Kilcoyne      Knockmore
15.   Mickie Mullins      Claremorris

Can some one explain the advantages of these changes to me? They seem to be changing for changes sake and to be seen to do something. There are still 9 league games to be played by each club and some will end up with 11 with semi-finals and final. It only reduces the amount of league games by 2 each year. The problems still exist of county players holding up club games while Mayo is still involved in the championship. To be realistic the chances are that Mayo will reach the Quarter-Finals most years and therefore have football until at least August. That's the crux in all this and that should be the starting point in any solution.

I really can't see what has changed all that much, maybe some teams get to play teams they haven't played before but that isn't a strong enough reason to change. Also if they are going to change the structures of the leagues should the criteria be laid down at the start of the current league so that the teams know what they have to achieve to be placed in a certain division next year?

Also I'd like to know when and where this draw took place. For openness and transparency it should take place at a county board meeting with all delegates present. We have seen from the Mickey Moran saga that integrity isn't one of the current officer's strong points!

Sean Lowery & Martin Carney?

LilyWhiteAllright.....Mayo beat Kerry in the 1997 All Ireland Junior final!

Were the proposals for the new league structure voted on at the county board meeting last night? Anyone know if they were accepted?

How do you get out of a particular division. Do they revise them every couple of years or so?

Not sure or do you get promoted/relegated in the league if you win the championship?

Having no relegation and promotion totally negates the league. The league is reduced to a series of friendlies. It would also be come very static and stagnant. Under the current system at least 4 new teams enter each division (besides division 1 which is 2) with a potential of 6 (three for division 1).

Essentially the year will be reduced to three competitive games, these being the group stages of the championship. In theory most teams will only have to win one group championship game all year to maintain their league and championship status!

When your league position affecting your championship status was removed a few years back the club delegates were apparently told that it was a directive from Croke Park that league position could not determine your championship status. In Galway league position still determines championship status.

The following are the proposals for the New League Structure
    1 Teams who hold senior championship status will play in the senior  League
    2 Teams who hold Intermediate Championship status will play in Intermediate league
    3 All other teams will play in Junior League
    4 10th March WEEK END set aside for Gaeltacht Tournament
    5 Leagues begin on 17/18 March
    6 There will be no relegation from league-championship will decide if you are senior /inter/or junior
    7 Some Games will have to be played without county players when the county team is on duty
    8 The league to be completed by second week in October at latest
    9 The prize money will be s folows-6000 for div 1 4000 for div 2 and 2000 for Junior Div. The money to go to players holiday fund.   
    10 The entry  fee will be 100 euro per team

I hope the clubs get to vote on this!

Keery first leage game at home.

ALL STARS SELECTION COMMITTEE:

Martin Breheny (Irish Independent), Jim O'Sullivan (Irish Examiner), Brian Carthy (RTÉ Radio), Michael Lyster (RTÉ TV), Eamon O'Hara (Irish News), Peter Sweeney (Irish Star), Martan Ó Ciadhra (RnaG), Seán Moran (The Irish Times), Adrian Logan (UTV), Alan Milton (Irish Sun), Keith Duggan (The Irish Times), Colm Keys (Irish Independent), Frank Roche (Evening Herald) and Seán McGoldrick (Sunday World).

Any chance of the full list Venter?

I see the IRFU has just announced a deal with a leading wine to become the official wine to the Irish team. There also an official beer and of course we have the Magners League and the Heineken Cup.

Imagine the uproar if the GAA had an official beer and an official wine! I can never understand what there are numerous complaints about the fact that Guinness sponsors the GAA when rugby gets away with it?

Don't get me wrong I am not necessarily condoning the sponsorship but surely the same argument applies to all code?

There are talks of changing the league structure for next year. All senior teams in Division 1, intermediate in Division 2 etc.