Tailteann Cup 2025

[Rossfan]

Are we giving Tailteann Cup success any credit for the journey Meath are on, or Down for that matter?  Did it give them the opportunity to build, win something, and kick on?

Shhhhhh
You can't be saying positive things about the TC.

Being in it was probably a wake up call initially, then getting 6 or 7 games and momentum of a winning run helped as well.
And of course an oul silver Cup is never any harm.

[twohands!!!]

I'm getting a bit fed up with the replies from Milltown Row2 - he seems unable to take on board others' views.
Nobody is hammering Clare - they have benefited from an unfair system but cannot be blamed.

I'll repeat my point:
In last 3 years only one of six counties, Westmeath in 2024, advanced to the Sam Maguire Cup after gaining promotion from Division 3.
There is no fairness in a system that allows Division 3 and 4 counties that reach Connacht or Munster Finals take the place of the NFL Division 3 winners or runners-up who finished above them in NFL.
The 2 teams promoted from Division 3 should automatically qualify for that year's Sam Maguire Cup.

The thing is I can't see any of the provincial councils being willing to "discredit" the provincial championships by "giving up" more places to the league. League position is obviously fairer compared to the luck of getting a handy provincial draw - if you look back over the various provincial championships over the years a lot of teams ended up getting to the provincial finals by turning in one or two decent performances and there was some years that teams ended up in some of the provincial finals by basically being the least shit of the sides on their side of the draw as opposed to being anywhere close to the being in the top 8 teams in the country.
The harsh reality is that because the provincial councils control such a big chunk of the votes at Congress  that the chances to any switch to favour the national league is remote.

[The Boy Wonder]

The thing is I can't see any of the provincial councils being willing to "discredit" the provincial championships by "giving up" more places to the league. League position is obviously fairer compared to the luck of getting a handy provincial draw - if you look back over the various provincial championships over the years a lot of teams ended up getting to the provincial finals by turning in one or two decent performances and there was some years that teams ended up in some of the provincial finals by basically being the least shit of the sides on their side of the draw as opposed to being anywhere close to the being in the top 8 teams in the country.
The harsh reality is that because the provincial councils control such a big chunk of the votes at Congress  that the chances to any switch to favour the national league is remote.

Very true - and you won't find Connacht or Munster posters on this board arguing against a system that can reward them with a place in Sam Maguire Cup for winning one (sometimes easy) game in their province.

And of course Meath should have been in Sam Maguire Cup in 2023 as a top-14 team. Instead the 2022 Tailteann Cup winners Westmeath too their place in Sam Maguire Cup in 2023. Through no fault of their own Meath prevented a Division 3 or 4 team winning that's year's Tailteann Cup.

[Dunneroyal]

The thing is I can't see any of the provincial councils being willing to "discredit" the provincial championships by "giving up" more places to the league. League position is obviously fairer compared to the luck of getting a handy provincial draw - if you look back over the various provincial championships over the years a lot of teams ended up getting to the provincial finals by turning in one or two decent performances and there was some years that teams ended up in some of the provincial finals by basically being the least shit of the sides on their side of the draw as opposed to being anywhere close to the being in the top 8 teams in the country.
The harsh reality is that because the provincial councils control such a big chunk of the votes at Congress  that the chances to any switch to favour the national league is remote.

Very true - and you won't find Connacht or Munster posters on this board arguing against a system that can reward them with a place in Sam Maguire Cup for winning one (sometimes easy) game in their province.

And of course Meath should have been in Sam Maguire Cup in 2023 as a top-14 team. Instead the 2022 Tailteann Cup winners Westmeath too their place in Sam Maguire Cup in 2023. Through no fault of their own Meath prevented a Division 3 or 4 team winning that's year's Tailteann Cup.

I'd broadly agree with that. When you see where Meath are now it is a bit of a kick in the face to 23 tc when really someone else would have benefited more from winning it.

[Lamps]

Getting rid of a dinosaur like Colm O'Rourke is worth 10 Tailteann Cups for Meath.