New format for 2014 football championship

[Syferus]

Never got the shite about the championship 'beginning in August'. The heart of the championship lays far away from Dublin.

The schedule just adds some certainty to the qualifiers and that's an excellent change, the trade-off is very much worth it.

Right or wrong, a lot of players, managers and supporters view that weekend as the beginning of the real championship.
In Connacht last year, Mayo played Galway in May, after that it was pretty obvious who the winner was going to be. Munster annual two horse race, Leinster, Dublin have won 8 out of 10. Ulster is competitive no doubt.

While there was great excitement in Clones when Monaghan won the Ulster it ( no more than Limerick hurlers) was only a sideshow once the Quarter Finals came round and is probably well forgotten by everyone outside Monaghan ....and Donegal

And in Roscommon apparently.

There's only a select few counties with enough arrogance and success to think the championship begins in August.

Would you call it arrogance?

For the  serious contenders that's when it starts.

This year there was only two serious contenders.

The reality is that for the vast majority of counties the championship is what it is by August bank holiday, almost over and not almost beginning. That line is thrown around far too much for my liking.  It's a subtle insult, plain and simple.

For Kerry and Dublin I'm sure it's great that they can look beyond the rest of the year but few have that luxury at any time, nevermind endlessly. Croke Park in August is the prize, not where the blasted thing begins.

[Cold tea]

It is called the All-Ireland Championship - put it back the way it was. 

Only 4 teams got to compete in the All Ireland Championship "the way it was". Now 32 teams do.
I see Liam O'Neill calling for the proposals raised by the FRC to be debated and they won't be going to Congress 2014.
Is that code for " This is not a runner ladeens"?

And it's nothing to do with the GAA making loads more money?

[Rossfan]

It is called the All-Ireland Championship - put it back the way it was. 

Only 4 teams got to compete in the All Ireland Championship "the way it was". Now 32 teams do.
I see Liam O'Neill calling for the proposals raised by the FRC to be debated and they won't be going to Congress 2014.
Is that code for " This is not a runner ladeens"?

And it's nothing to do with the GAA making loads more money?

What the fcuk do YOU want ? Free admission to all games or what?
Anyway they've been called the "Grab All Association" by anti GAA people for decades long before Qualifiers etc came in so like in all walks of life money is a very handy oul thing to have.

[Stall the Bailer]

It looks like the FRC was reading my suggestion here.
http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=23836.msg1285959#msg1285959

Anything else you want me to help with Eugene? 
i have many other suggestions!

[Rossfan]

Is the current system so bad?

Some good local skirmishes early on and usually, more or less, the top teams are there for the quarter finals. Is this not what a competition needs?

Obviously the FRC think it's not too bad either but to show they were doing something they decided to add four meaningless illogical games to the real Connacht and Munster Championships to turn them into the "Connacht (with a bit of Ulster and a biteen of Leinster)" and a "Munster (with one sixth of Leinster)" Championships.
You can still have all the Provincial Qtr Finals played over 2 weekends ( excepting the NY one) - you'll have 12 real Provincial games instead of 16 incl 4 makey uppey ones.
These 4 silly games will add nothing to anything except make silly GAAboard posters from Ulster think they're great lads as they seem to have a fixation with the Connacht and Munster Championships.
How adding Longford, Antrim, Wicklow and Carlow to those 2 Provinces is going to do anything for anyone beats me.
As for Armaghniac who declared the Conancht Championship a joke - Armagh were turfed out of the AI race by Connacht teams the last 2 years 

[Hound]

Leinster & Ulster preliminary round losers to Connacht and Munster - a very innovative idea from the FRC.

On a given year you might have Louth/Meath, Kildare/Wexford, Laois/Offaly going to Connacht (1 of the 3) or Munster (2 of the 3)
and prelim-Ulster losers,  e.g. Cavan/Fermanagh, going to Connacht too.

It would add some spice to Connacht and Munster championships. Kerry/Cork Vs Meath in Munster - bring it on !

Four provincial championships each having 8 teams - good proposal from Eugene McGee and colleagues.

Yeah, I think there is a lot of merit in the proposal, still not sure whether its a good idea or not but its certainly worth debating. I think I agree with them that it is better than forcing particulalr counties to play in another province forever. No surprise that some of the weaker counties in Connacht will instantly object to anything that threatens their cosy cartel, but it won't come down to their votes.

I'd imagine Mayo, Kerry and Cork would be in favour, as it would mean extra competitive games before they get to the final 8 or 12. The big question is whether it is of any interest to all the Leinster and Ulster teams.

Also I think there'd have to be uniformity in how Leinster and Ulster decide who plays in their preliminary rounds. Leinster have it seeded (the 4 prior year semi-finalists cannot play in the prelim round), whereas Ulster is an open draw. Not sure whether open or seeded draw is best, probably seeded which would allow the weaker counties to gain the most benefit from the idea.

[Fuzzman]

I think it's a great idea if it helps to create a level playing field for each province.
We all know it's easier to win Connacht or Munster than it is to win Ulster or Leinster.
Part of that is just the fact that there are more teams of a similar level in Ulster than there are in the other provinces.
I think it's vital to give counties like Monaghan, Roscommon, Kildare etc the chance to win their province but in the current era it is unlikely that they will win the AI.

My main gripe I suppose is with Munster were Cork and Kerry more or less get a bye into the AI 1/4 finals most years. They tend to play a game less than everyone else and often most of their games are in Killarney or Cork.

I think the Ulster council should no longer allow home advantage to any county and play all games in a neutral venue.
In 2014 both Kerry & Cork will be kept apart and automatically go into the semi finals. This more or less decides that they will both make it to the AI 1/4 finals having avoided each other or not played an away match. Of course you could argue that they would probably beat Tipp, Clare or Waterford anyway as they usually do but why are they getting it handed to them on a plate. Less matches for them at away venues means less injuries or suspensions and cost.

Tyrone will play Down in the preliminary round and should they win then be away I think to the Ulster champions in the 1st round. You would never see a preliminary round in Leinster where the Dubs have to go to play Meath in Navan or Kildare in Newbridge.

Can you imagine if Kerry had to play Cork in Cork in May. Neither team would fancy that.

[Fuzzman]

Maybe this has been said before but if such a new format was brought in I would imagine a lot of teams in Ulster would be happy enough to lose their preliminary round game and go for a possibly easier route to the final in Connacht.

[Cold tea]

It is called the All-Ireland Championship - put it back the way it was. 

Only 4 teams got to compete in the All Ireland Championship "the way it was". Now 32 teams do.
I see Liam O'Neill calling for the proposals raised by the FRC to be debated and they won't be going to Congress 2014.
Is that code for " This is not a runner ladeens"?

And it's nothing to do with the GAA making loads more money?

What the fcuk do YOU want ? Free admission to all games or what?
Anyway they've been called the "Grab All Association" by anti GAA people for decades long before Qualifiers etc came in so like in all walks of life money is a very handy oul thing to have.

Calm yourself down kid, there are teams don't even try to compete after being put out in first round of the championship and their are teams that couldn't compete if you gave them 15 chances.  The format was launched as a money spinner for the GAA, at the start it had some following, now it is looked upon as a bit of a joke, if teams want to play loads of games over the summer have a champions league type format (oh right the national league is already in place), otherwise it should be a straight knockout end off.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Maybe this has been said before but if such a new format was brought in I would imagine a lot of teams in Ulster would be happy enough to lose their preliminary round game and go for a possibly easier route to the final in Connacht.

I think we've seen plenty of examples in recent years of Ulster sides being dumped out of the championship by Connacht opposition that it would be no walk in the park for them especially as I presume they would have to play away from home after losing in Ulster.

[Rossfan]

The Ulsterites in their rush to amend the Connacht and Munster Championships seem to be overlooking the bit where the FRC recommend that the lowest Leinster and Ulster teams in the NFL will play in the Prelim rounds.That means Antrim and more than likely Wicklow/Carlow and Offaly or Longford being annual tramps.
Kerry/Cork/ Mayowestros will hardly be getting much of a competitive test from those
As for Connacht's votes not counting ... Presumably if the CC and the 5 real Connacht Counties refuse to have anything to do with this nonsense....then it won't happen.
Another Ulsterite called the Connacht Championship a "cosy cartel".
It's not our fault the Normans/English only divided Connacht into 5 Counties who unbelievably have to cheek to think that they can keep the Connacht Championship to themselves.
Of course it's only 10 months ago they were telling us that the only County team who could possibly beat Crossmaglen were Donegal

[Bojangles]

See Mr Prenty has come rushing out to welcome the new proposal from the FRC. I'm sure he has consulted with all the other Connacht counties before proffering an opinion! (Wouldn't be anything to do with adding more games to help pay off McBale park...)

[moysider]

Could have something to do with it I m sure.

[From the Bunker]

We all know it's easier to win Connacht or Munster than it is to win Ulster or Leinster.

Why then do Sligo, Limerick, Leitrim, Clare, Tipperary and Waterford have so few titles?

[macdanger2]

Wouldn't be in favour of these proposals.

I can see the merit in going with 4 x 8 groups but moving counties should be done on a permanent basis rather than this kind of sh*te.