Beaten Provisional Finalists - Should they play each other first?

[Cosmo Kramer]

Alternatively with falling crowds and increased prices I wouldn't be opposed to ending the qualifiers altogether. Probably in the minority though

The qualifiers need to and will be kept. I would like to see a big change to the pricing system for qualifier games to bring the crowds in though, something like €10 Adult/ €5 Concessions for all qualifier games from rounds 1 to 4 would help to reduce the number of 90% empty stadiums we have been seeing every Saturday night. Given that the qualifiers didn't exist 10 years ago so there was no income from them at all back then, you would imagine the GAA could afford to take a bit of a hit in terms of income from these games in return for getting more people through the gates.

[stibhan]

Why not have it that the losing finalists play each other, and then the winners of those go into the quarter finals; the losers play the two qualifiers for the final two spots in the quarters?

I.E.

Qualifiers
Dublin v Down
Cork v Kildare

Finalists
Monaghan v Louth
Limerick v Sligo

In the event of all of the 'home' teams winning, Monaghan and Limerick go into the quarters. Dublin and Cork play Louth and Sligo, and the winners of those matches go on into the quarters as well.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Alternatively with falling crowds and increased prices I wouldn't be opposed to ending the qualifiers altogether. Probably in the minority though

The qualifiers need to and will be kept. I would like to see a big change to the pricing system for qualifier games to bring the crowds in though, something like €10 Adult/ €5 Concessions for all qualifier games from rounds 1 to 4 would help to reduce the number of 90% empty stadiums we have been seeing every Saturday night. Given that the qualifiers didn't exist 10 years ago so there was no income from them at all back then, you would imagine the GAA could afford to take a bit of a hit in terms of income from these games in return for getting more people through the gates.

Kildare/Antrim first round qualifier in Newbridge was €10 in. For the next game against Leitrim, Kildare CB wanted to keep the admission at €10 but Croke Park overruled them and made it €15 in.

[sandwiches_in_the_boot]

I think this might work

the four provisional finalist play each other then the two winners plus the two back door teams enter the quarter finals

For example today you could have

Qualifiers‎
Dublin v Down
Kildare v Cork

Finalist
Sligo v Louth
Limerick v Monaghan

The only reason I'd be in favour of that is you'd have 2 decent games instead of 4 awful ones.