Hurling 2026

[johnnycool]

I suppose the whole lopsided aspect of the provincial championships and how that feeds into the AI series is the real crux of the issue.

You've Waterford and Tipp not getting out of Munster who would definitely see off an Offaly at their leisure and possibly would be fairly strong favourites to beat a Dublin in the AI series so what you are getting is a fairly uncompetitive set of AI quarterfinals and it's been the case for quite a while.

The solution is there for all to see, but the sacrosanctity of the Munster championship may need to be diluted a bit and that would hit the coffers in a big way.

For me, we run off a straight knockout Munster and Leinster championship after the league is over, like the way it used to be not so long ago.

Then we go into 2 pools of 6 teams in the AI series with positions in the respective provincial championships used as a seeding element. That's each team getting a minimum of 5 games on top of the 1 or 2 games in their provincial championships.
That way we do get the best overall teams getting to the quarter finals where 2 plays 3 for a crack at the top 1 who go straight into a semi-final berth.

If you don't make the top 3 in a 6 team round robin you can have no complaints.

bottom 2 play off a relegation game to be replaced with the Joe McDonagh winners.

Should I give John Myler a call?

[DuffGael]

I suppose the whole lopsided aspect of the provincial championships and how that feeds into the AI series is the real crux of the issue.

You've Waterford and Tipp not getting out of Munster who would definitely see off an Offaly at their leisure and possibly would be fairly strong favourites to beat a Dublin in the AI series so what you are getting is a fairly uncompetitive set of AI quarterfinals and it's been the case for quite a while.

The solution is there for all to see, but the sacrosanctity of the Munster championship may need to be diluted a bit and that would hit the coffers in a big way.

For me, we run off a straight knockout Munster and Leinster championship after the league is over, like the way it used to be not so long ago.

Then we go into 2 pools of 6 teams in the AI series with positions in the respective provincial championships used as a seeding element. That's each team getting a minimum of 5 games on top of the 1 or 2 games in their provincial championships.
That way we do get the best overall teams getting to the quarter finals where 2 plays 3 for a crack at the top 1 who go straight into a semi-final berth.

If you don't make the top 3 in a 6 team round robin you can have no complaints.

bottom 2 play off a relegation game to be replaced with the Joe McDonagh winners.

Should I give John Myler a call?

I agree with this except I would move Galway in Munster and play the leinster championship with the Joe McD teams in it as well, Play a Leinster b champioship, an Ulster A and B and a connacht with Kerry either in Munster or connacht

[didlyi]

R

[Captain Obvious]

R

[ClubScene13]

I suppose the whole lopsided aspect of the provincial championships and how that feeds into the AI series is the real crux of the issue.

You've Waterford and Tipp not getting out of Munster who would definitely see off an Offaly at their leisure and possibly would be fairly strong favourites to beat a Dublin in the AI series so what you are getting is a fairly uncompetitive set of AI quarterfinals and it's been the case for quite a while.

The solution is there for all to see, but the sacrosanctity of the Munster championship may need to be diluted a bit and that would hit the coffers in a big way.

For me, we run off a straight knockout Munster and Leinster championship after the league is over, like the way it used to be not so long ago.

Then we go into 2 pools of 6 teams in the AI series with positions in the respective provincial championships used as a seeding element. That's each team getting a minimum of 5 games on top of the 1 or 2 games in their provincial championships.
That way we do get the best overall teams getting to the quarter finals where 2 plays 3 for a crack at the top 1 who go straight into a semi-final berth.

If you don't make the top 3 in a 6 team round robin you can have no complaints.

bottom 2 play off a relegation game to be replaced with the Joe McDonagh winners.

Should I give John Myler a call?

Like it. Might need a bit of rejigging calendar wise could be difficult to squeeze all in but if you tightened the national league up could be doable.

Munster will probably lose a little bit of shine but you can't have it all - I like the look and sound of that proposal

Group 1 - Limerick, Dublin, Clare, Kilkenny, Waterford, Kildare
Group 2 - Galway, Cork, Offaly, Tipperary, Wexford, Laois

Something like that based on 2026

[Armagh18]

I suppose the whole lopsided aspect of the provincial championships and how that feeds into the AI series is the real crux of the issue.

You've Waterford and Tipp not getting out of Munster who would definitely see off an Offaly at their leisure and possibly would be fairly strong favourites to beat a Dublin in the AI series so what you are getting is a fairly uncompetitive set of AI quarterfinals and it's been the case for quite a while.

The solution is there for all to see, but the sacrosanctity of the Munster championship may need to be diluted a bit and that would hit the coffers in a big way.

For me, we run off a straight knockout Munster and Leinster championship after the league is over, like the way it used to be not so long ago.

Then we go into 2 pools of 6 teams in the AI series with positions in the respective provincial championships used as a seeding element. That's each team getting a minimum of 5 games on top of the 1 or 2 games in their provincial championships.
That way we do get the best overall teams getting to the quarter finals where 2 plays 3 for a crack at the top 1 who go straight into a semi-final berth.

If you don't make the top 3 in a 6 team round robin you can have no complaints.

bottom 2 play off a relegation game to be replaced with the Joe McDonagh winners.

Should I give John Myler a call?

I agree with this except I would move Galway in Munster and play the leinster championship with the Joe McD teams in it as well, Play a Leinster b champioship, an Ulster A and B and a connacht with Kerry either in Munster or connacht

Munsters strong enough, leave Galway where they are or if/when Kilkenny get the finger out they'll piss Leinster.

I do like the idea, but would it devalue Munster/Leinster any?