Hurling Draw

[EddieMerx]

Antrim V Offaly
Clare V Wexford

This system makes no sense, Wexford win first round of the championship and Laois lose, yet they get a game against a poor Antrim side in the playoffs and they stay up.

[Bord na Mona man]

Really the first round winners shouldn't have been dragged back into it.
Though Clare had been given a bye to the Munster semi.
Neutral venues, is it?

[imtommygunn]

Well Wexford could end up playing a poor antrim to stay up too Eddie.

I would agree though that it makes no sense. First round winners should be out of the equation.

The whole hurling set-up is a bit off at the minute. Non leinster teams in leinster and leinster teams can't get into leinster.

I prefer antrim and galway in it mind but no reason why all the others can't be in it and they just play "qualifier" rounds like they used to with that round robin system.

Not sure about venues.

[GalwayBayBoy]

By the way the draw for the remainder of the AI series is

Cork or Galway v Waterford v Kilkenny

Limerick or Laois v Dublin v Tipperary

[orangeman]

So Tipp will be in the final to be joined by Kilkenny / Galway / Cork.


Should be Kilkenny but it mightn't be as straightforward as this.

[The Real Laoislad]

By the way the draw for the remainder of the AI series is

Cork or Galway v Waterford v Kilkenny

Limerick or Laois v Dublin v Tipperary

You'd have to say Dublin have a great chance of getting to a AI semi final

[INDIANA]

Depends Limerick will facny thier chances as well. Who knows it could be laois. Delighted to see laois getting a break at hurling. For many years we couldn't beat them and I've always considered them desperately unlucky. Were good enough to to win a leinster title in the 90's just never got any luck.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Well Wexford could end up playing a poor antrim to stay up too Eddie.

I would agree though that it makes no sense. First round winners should be out of the equation.

The whole hurling set-up is a bit off at the minute. Non leinster teams in leinster and leinster teams can't get into leinster.

I prefer antrim and galway in it mind but no reason why all the others can't be in it and they just play "qualifier" rounds like they used to with that round robin system.

Not sure about venues.

If Clare lose to Wexford and also get beaten by the losers of Antrim v Offaly, then I think that, according to the present rules, Carlow would replace them in the Munster championship! 

[INDIANA]

Depends Limerick will facny thier chances as well. Who knows it could be laois. Delighted to see laois getting a break at hurling. For many years we couldn't beat them and I've always considered them desperately unlucky. Were good enough to to win a leinster title in the 90's just never got any luck.

You think so?

I remember in the early 90's when Pat Critchley was involved with Laois when kilkenny beat them by 2 points in Portlaoise in a cracking game that Laois should have won. That Kilkenny team went on and won the all-ireland. laois hurling never recovered when Critchley left.

[awfulynice]

Well Wexford could end up playing a poor antrim to stay up too Eddie.

I would agree though that it makes no sense. First round winners should be out of the equation.

The whole hurling set-up is a bit off at the minute. Non leinster teams in leinster and leinster teams can't get into leinster.

I prefer antrim and galway in it mind but no reason why all the others can't be in it and they just play "qualifier" rounds like they used to with that round robin system.

Not sure about venues.

If Clare lose to Wexford and also get beaten by the losers of Antrim v Offaly, then I think that, according to the present rules, Carlow would replace them in the Munster championship! 

Youre correct in saying that.

However there is now a dispute as the Antrim County Board were seemingly given a gurantee of 3 years to be in the leinster championship, if that is the case its either Offaly / Wexford / Clare that would be demoted in place of Carlow which would be a farcical situation.

The GAA i believe are meeting to decide what to do. I cant see how they can allow Carlow up instead of Offaly / Wexford / Clare, i think there would be uproar throughout the country, especially considering the walloping both Offaly & Wexford gave Carlow already this year!!!

I think a playoff between the winners of the christy ring and the losers of the relegation final as was the situation last year is the only way to go.

[INDIANA]

Absolutely not. If the christy ring is to have any credibility carlow have to be allowed automatically go up. Antrim should have to retain their place on merit.

[EddieMerx]

Why is someone being relegated anyway! FFS are they not trying to promote hurling? If Wexford were to be relegated then it could spell the death of hurling in the county. Once again the GAA get the sytem wrong, Surely Carlow can come up and join the Leinster Championship as that would mean no-one gets a bye to a the semi like KK got this year. Indy it is all well and good saying it's great to see Laois get a break but the Laois County Board have done nothing to promote or improve Laois over the last 20 years. I have a funny feeling that Wexford or Offaly may be relegated this year and that is just wrong.

[AZOffaly]

I was under the impression that if Clare got 'relegated' for example, that They could still enter the Munster Championship, but would not be eligible for the Qualifiers, etc. Carlow would come into the Leinster Championship.

You can bet your bottom dollar that if Clare get relegated there is *no* way they will be excluded from the Munster Championship.

[INDIANA]

My suspicion is that the Antrim deal is pure fantasy and that they will have to retain their place on merit. They had their chance to beat Laois and they couldn't do it.

[Roashter]

Cork v Galway
Laois v Limerick

Everyone seems to be saying that Dublin will play the winners of Laois/Limerick and Waterford will play winners of Cork/Galway.

Is this definate cause I didn't see them making the draw for the quarter finals or did I miss something here