Ulster hurling

[SpeculativeEffort]

County boards in Antrim, kerry, laois, westmeath and carlow need to vehemently oppose the new league structure for 2020. Counties ranked 9-12 will be lumped in with more counties that are 15+ points their superior. A defeat of less than 8 in a game of hurling can help weaker teams learn to hurl at a faster pace but big beatings help nobody. The current league format offers more competitive games for every county.

Top counties are arguing that its easier win an all ireland from 1B coz you can wait for a league quarter final to go up a gear. If this is the case why do 1A counties fight relegation so strongly. Experiment in the league, stay up in 1A or get relegated to the utopia of 1B. Either way hurling is not really weakened in your county. The proposed 2020 league will bring huge beatings week after week for teams ranked 9 to 12.

[manfromdelmonte]

County boards in Antrim, kerry, laois, westmeath and carlow need to vehemently oppose the new league structure for 2020. Counties ranked 9-12 will be lumped in with more counties that are 15+ points their superior. A defeat of less than 8 in a game of hurling can help weaker teams learn to hurl at a faster pace but big beatings help nobody. The current league format offers more competitive games for every county.

Top counties are arguing that its easier win an all ireland from 1B coz you can wait for a league quarter final to go up a gear. If this is the case why do 1A counties fight relegation so strongly. Experiment in the league, stay up in 1A or get relegated to the utopia of 1B. Either way hurling is not really weakened in your county. The proposed 2020 league will bring huge beatings week after week for teams ranked 9 to 12.

It's always the top 9 counties protecting their patch.

Look at how they treated the Ring and Rackard finals - minors players from the top counties were more important

Hurling snobbery

[marty34]

County boards in Antrim, kerry, laois, westmeath and carlow need to vehemently oppose the new league structure for 2020. Counties ranked 9-12 will be lumped in with more counties that are 15+ points their superior. A defeat of less than 8 in a game of hurling can help weaker teams learn to hurl at a faster pace but big beatings help nobody. The current league format offers more competitive games for every county.

Top counties are arguing that its easier win an all ireland from 1B coz you can wait for a league quarter final to go up a gear. If this is the case why do 1A counties fight relegation so strongly. Experiment in the league, stay up in 1A or get relegated to the utopia of 1B. Either way hurling is not really weakened in your county. The proposed 2020 league will bring huge beatings week after week for teams ranked 9 to 12.

It's always the top 9 counties protecting their patch.

Look at how they treated the Ring and Rackard finals - minors players from the top counties were more important

Hurling snobbery

Their in 'inner circle' in hurling now that the leagues are organised the way they are.  Hard to break into this.

First thing is Mc Donagh Cup needs live programmes and a highlights programme by itself.  TG4 should do this/be allowed to do it as it'd raise the profile of these counties and players.  Some great hurling on show in Joe Mc Donagh.

[imtommygunn]

Great competition and finally has addressed the fact that the ring was mostly won easy by one team and was generally unbalanced in most of the games.

I don’t think the gaa have ever seriously looked at things outside the big counties.

[marty34]

County boards in Antrim, kerry, laois, westmeath and carlow need to vehemently oppose the new league structure for 2020. Counties ranked 9-12 will be lumped in with more counties that are 15+ points their superior. A defeat of less than 8 in a game of hurling can help weaker teams learn to hurl at a faster pace but big beatings help nobody. The current league format offers more competitive games for every county.

Top counties are arguing that its easier win an all ireland from 1B coz you can wait for a league quarter final to go up a gear. If this is the case why do 1A counties fight relegation so strongly. Experiment in the league, stay up in 1A or get relegated to the utopia of 1B. Either way hurling is not really weakened in your county. The proposed 2020 league will bring huge beatings week after week for teams ranked 9 to 12.

I don't think there's a relegation from Div. 1A this year and no promotion from 1B.  There is a relagation from 1B though...I think.

You have a point though.  Why do teams avoid relegation from a competitive 1A. while the last 2 All Ireland winners have come from 1B.

I think also that it's been a long time, possibly never, that neither of the 2 league finalists (KK & Tipp) reached the All Ireland semi final. 

Over the next few years, we'll see if it's a one off or a trend!

[manfromdelmonte]

It's worse than the top rugby nations trying to keep the other smaller rugby nations from getting to the top table

There is almost no avenue for a developing county in hurling to get to the top tier
And If there's a chance one of the top tier will drop down, they change the format

[johnnycool]

It's worse than the top rugby nations trying to keep the other smaller rugby nations from getting to the top table

There is almost no avenue for a developing county in hurling to get to the top tier
And If there's a chance one of the top tier will drop down, they change the format

And they get away with it because most of the counties impacted are "football" counties whose delegates don't give a shit.

[SpeculativeEffort]

Only getting back to this now but I would be in general agreement with all the points made about the top counties protecting their interests (in fairness thats their job) but the top decision makers in the GAA shouldnt allow it. Everyone one here should be tweeting, posting on fb, texting the various podcasts to get the message across that the league revamp is unfair on developing counties.

The GAA should be funding Fitzgibbon teams in Sligo IT, Athlone IT and in UUJ to allow an avenue for lads in these counties to upskill and play at a high level. Look what a good Fitzgibbon set up in Carlow IT has done for Carlow hurling. Massive strides made. These are practical ways to balance the playing field.