All Ireland 2025 championships. Call it.

[Riseagain]

Kilkenny for Leinster Championship
Antrim to beat Offaly to avoid relegation
Laois to win Joe Mcdonagh Cup
Cork to win Munster
Cork for All Ireland,with Kilkenny as an underdog which should never be underestimated.

Those are my predictions we'll see how they fair out in the coming weeks,as to why I backed Antrim to beat Offaly to avoid relegation I believe Davy Fitzgerald when it comes down to the wire will be able to get the win to save their season whereas Offaly don't fair aswell under pressure and Antrim are well able to get late goals

Ill admit as a Laois man that my prediction for Antrim to beat Offaly was biased but if Antrim didn't get a red card I think they would've won.

[didlyi]

Peter Queally has called for change in the structure of the hurling championship after his Waterford team were left redundant in May for the fourth successive year.

Would it help if they were knocked out in the same format in July or August? That is the question really.

[Riseagain]

Peter Queally has called for change in the structure of the hurling championship after his Waterford team were left redundant in May for the fourth successive year.

Would it help if they were knocked out in the same format in July or August? That is the question really.

The season is over too early with too many matches on every weekend that it's hard to keep track of whats going on,  what would be wrong with giving teams a two week rest between  matches and putting all Ireland back to September the gaa is supposed to pronote the sport when in September it creates a buzz in schools and gets young people's attention. Also tgey say its for the players but now if a player gets an injury they miss the whole season and clubs not having county players gives other players a chance to prove themself, also howmanylwague games were called off due to pitches being unplayable. The preseason competitions should be brought back counties are getting challenge matches anyway it gave teams a chance to try out new players.

[johnnycool]

Peter Queally has called for change in the structure of the hurling championship after his Waterford team were left redundant in May for the fourth successive year.

Would it help if they were knocked out in the same format in July or August? That is the question really.

The season is over too early with too many matches on every weekend that it's hard to keep track of whats going on,  what would be wrong with giving teams a two week rest between  matches and putting all Ireland back to September the gaa is supposed to pronote the sport when in September it creates a buzz in schools and gets young people's attention. Also tgey say its for the players but now if a player gets an injury they miss the whole season and clubs not having county players gives other players a chance to prove themself, also howmanylwague games were called off due to pitches being unplayable. The preseason competitions should be brought back counties are getting challenge matches anyway it gave teams a chance to try out new players.

what club in Laois are you aligned or a member of?

[imtommygunn]

this is a completely random aside but Timmy Mallet was at Cork - Waterford at the weekend and was lauding it.

Waterford were better this year but they just aren't quite at the standard of the top teams in Munster. I don't know if that will change anytime soon.

I imagine at some point they will need to look at munster and leinster and how unbalanced the whole thing is but the munster championship seems fairly sacred so you'd think that would be later rather than sooner. Kerry dropping off is probably a good thing for the top brass as it gives them one less thing to think about.

[Blowitupref]

Ticket prices for Munster final: Stand €50, terrace €40, €10 U16. €5 discount for students/OAPs

No tickets on sale to the public.

[Laois Rising]

A very simple change in format would help things. As opposed to the losing Joe McDonagh team progressing to the prelim quarter final why not have the two fourth place teams in the Leinster and Munster round robin play off against one another at a neutral venue. This year you would have Wexford v Clare. If Clare won then they face the 3rd place team from the Leinster championship (Dublin) at that team's home ground. If Wexford won then they face the third place Munster team (Tipperary) at that team's home ground. The Joe McDonagh winners (Laois hopefully) would face the other third place team at their own home venue.

I think this solution solves two problems. The losing Joe McDonagh team's season is effectively done in losing the final. Impossible to rebuild themselves in a week to face a stronger opposition coming off a gut wrenching defeat. It is better to have them out of championship than receive a further kicking a week on from losing their final. Secondly, it gives a team in both the Leinster and Munster championship who picked up a number of points in the group stages a route to continue their All-Ireland ambitions and hurl into at least the beginning of June. They are still at a disadvantage by finishing 4th in their group as they have an extra game to win to make the prelim quarter final and if they make the prelim quarter final are conceding home advantage to the opposition. Having this tweak in place takes away further dead rubbers e.g. Clare needing to beat Limerick in the last game to progress as oppose to playing simply for pride.

John Mullane was advocating for 4 quarter finals involving the top four Leinster sides and top four Munster sides was very disingenuous to the Joe McDonagh sides. I feel that a pathway to the All-Ireland series should not be closed off to those teams and in this system the winners have that opportunity to progress into an All-Ireland series. Laois showed in the past that coming off a successful Joe McD campaign that these teams are very capable of being taking a scalp and being competitive.

Any thoughts on this tweak to current structures?

[Riseagain]

Peter Queally has called for change in the structure of the hurling championship after his Waterford team were left redundant in May for the fourth successive year.

Would it help if they were knocked out in the same format in July or August? That is the question really.

The season is over too early with too many matches on every weekend that it's hard to keep track of whats going on,  what would be wrong with giving teams a two week rest between  matches and putting all Ireland back to September the gaa is supposed to pronote the sport when in September it creates a buzz in schools and gets young people's attention. Also tgey say its for the players but now if a player gets an injury they miss the whole season and clubs not having county players gives other players a chance to prove themself, also howmanylwague games were called off due to pitches being unplayable. The preseason competitions should be brought back counties are getting challenge matches anyway it gave teams a chance to try out new players.

what club in Laois are you aligned or a member of?

Mountmellick we were punching below our weight for a while going down to Junior B but are up to Premier Intermediate(SeniorB) but we still dont have a county standard player town has a population of around 5000 there is also another football club in the town called the rock and a small vilage called Clonaghadoo which have a football team called Kilcavan th hurling club has the whole parish as its catchment area but has lost some to neighbouring clubs from too many amalgamations ar underage and club rows. Laois player Donnacha Hartnett previously played with us but transferred to neighbouring senior club Rosenallis.

[Riseagain]

A very simple change in format would help things. As opposed to the losing Joe McDonagh team progressing to the prelim quarter final why not have the two fourth place teams in the Leinster and Munster round robin play off against one another at a neutral venue. This year you would have Wexford v Clare. If Clare won then they face the 3rd place team from the Leinster championship (Dublin) at that team's home ground. If Wexford won then they face the third place Munster team (Tipperary) at that team's home ground. The Joe McDonagh winners (Laois hopefully) would face the other third place team at their own home venue.

I think this solution solves two problems. The losing Joe McDonagh team's season is effectively done in losing the final. Impossible to rebuild themselves in a week to face a stronger opposition coming off a gut wrenching defeat. It is better to have them out of championship than receive a further kicking a week on from losing their final. Secondly, it gives a team in both the Leinster and Munster championship who picked up a number of points in the group stages a route to continue their All-Ireland ambitions and hurl into at least the beginning of June. They are still at a disadvantage by finishing 4th in their group as they have an extra game to win to make the prelim quarter final and if they make the prelim quarter final are conceding home advantage to the opposition. Having this tweak in place takes away further dead rubbers e.g. Clare needing to beat Limerick in the last game to progress as oppose to playing simply for pride.

John Mullane was advocating for 4 quarter finals involving the top four Leinster sides and top four Munster sides was very disingenuous to the Joe McDonagh sides. I feel that a pathway to the All-Ireland series should not be closed off to those teams and in this system the winners have that opportunity to progress into an All-Ireland series. Laois showed in the past that coming off a successful Joe McD campaign that these teams are very capable of being taking a scalp and being competitive.

Any thoughts on this tweak to current structures?

Yes would be better than the current structure a team that lost the joe mc isnt going to win a preliminary quarter final, laois are the only winners that ever won the preliminary quarter final

[johnnycool]

Prvincial finals up for grabs.

Leinster for me is easiest to call, Galway don't have anywhere near the physicality to bother the cats even with the Burkes in the defence and a new keeper thrown in the mix, well he's experienced enough lad, but second choice nonetheless.

Cat's to win by 7 plus.

Munster tomorrow night is where its all at.

Cork will want to be putting on a better show than the last time out against Limerick, which I think they will achieve but not enough to get over the line. It will be a much better contest though.
Mellerick is a big loss as he's added something to their defence especially with Rob Downey not starting even if he had a bad day out last time. They've Joyce in at 6 so he'll need to decide whether to sit deep and protect the younger Downey or go chase Lynch out the field and stop him pulling the strings! Yeah, there are other things they could do and get someone else to pick up Lynch but once you allow Limerick the overload out the field they're the best at long range shooting or taking the sweeper out with diagonal balls into the bull and Guillane.

Hoping for a good spectacle and giving Limerick the nod, but not by much.

[johnnycool]

Prvincial finals up for grabs.

Leinster for me is easiest to call, Galway don't have anywhere near the physicality to bother the cats even with the Burkes in the defence and a new keeper thrown in the mix, well he's experienced enough lad, but second choice nonetheless.

Cat's to win by 7 plus.

Munster tomorrow night is where its all at.

Cork will want to be putting on a better show than the last time out against Limerick, which I think they will achieve but not enough to get over the line. It will be a much better contest though.
Mellerick is a big loss as he's added something to their defence especially with Rob Downey not starting even if he had a bad day out last time. They've Joyce in at 6 so he'll need to decide whether to sit deep and protect the younger Downey or go chase Lynch out the field and stop him pulling the strings! Yeah, there are other things they could do and get someone else to pick up Lynch but once you allow Limerick the overload out the field they're the best at long range shooting or taking the sweeper out with diagonal balls into the bull and Guillane.

Hoping for a good spectacle and giving Limerick the nod, but not by much.

Edit, O'Brien isn't picked to start so O'Connor gets the nod instead as I expect Reidy to take off out to the middle of the park.

[seafoid]

Limerick had too many wides at key points in the match. They didn't have enough accuracy. Cork stayed in touch to end with a draw after 90 minutes. Anyone could have won the penalties but Limerick lost. It was great to see the reaction of the Cork fans.

[EoinW]

A very simple change in format would help things. As opposed to the losing Joe McDonagh team progressing to the prelim quarter final why not have the two fourth place teams in the Leinster and Munster round robin play off against one another at a neutral venue. This year you would have Wexford v Clare. If Clare won then they face the 3rd place team from the Leinster championship (Dublin) at that team's home ground. If Wexford won then they face the third place Munster team (Tipperary) at that team's home ground. The Joe McDonagh winners (Laois hopefully) would face the other third place team at their own home venue.

I think this solution solves two problems. The losing Joe McDonagh team's season is effectively done in losing the final. Impossible to rebuild themselves in a week to face a stronger opposition coming off a gut wrenching defeat. It is better to have them out of championship than receive a further kicking a week on from losing their final. Secondly, it gives a team in both the Leinster and Munster championship who picked up a number of points in the group stages a route to continue their All-Ireland ambitions and hurl into at least the beginning of June. They are still at a disadvantage by finishing 4th in their group as they have an extra game to win to make the prelim quarter final and if they make the prelim quarter final are conceding home advantage to the opposition. Having this tweak in place takes away further dead rubbers e.g. Clare needing to beat Limerick in the last game to progress as oppose to playing simply for pride.

John Mullane was advocating for 4 quarter finals involving the top four Leinster sides and top four Munster sides was very disingenuous to the Joe McDonagh sides. I feel that a pathway to the All-Ireland series should not be closed off to those teams and in this system the winners have that opportunity to progress into an All-Ireland series. Laois showed in the past that coming off a successful Joe McD campaign that these teams are very capable of being taking a scalp and being competitive.

Any thoughts on this tweak to current structures?

That's a nice idea.  There often isn't much to choose between 3rd/4th place so 3rd in and 4th eliminated is a harsh difference.  Plus you'd get one pre-round game that would be very competitive.

[SouthOfThe Bann]

Be nice to see Kildare win this Joe McDonagh.

Not often you see a new team with a bit of success in hurling.

When's last time they played top tier hurling?

[Milltown Row2]

Be nice to see Kildare win this Joe McDonagh.

Not often you see a new team with a bit of success in hurling.

When's last time they played top tier hurling?

I can't remember... they've been on top the whole game, great to see