Players from Top Tier Hurling Counties switch to weaker counties

[youbetterbelieveit]

Brislane's Royal switch set to go through
07 March 2007


Tipperary hurling manager Michael 'Babs' Keating is expected to give his blessing to Eoin Brislane's proposed move to Meath.

The powerful Toomevara star wants to join the Royals as soon as possible, but if Keating decides that the player could figure in his plans for the rest of the year, the transfer could be stalled.

However, Brislane was omitted from Keating's panel for the NHL and it would seem there is now nothing to stop him from throwing in his lot with the Leinster hurling minnows. The player should be eligible to line out for Meath within a fortnight as David Kennedy's recent transfer to Kildare went through without a hitch.

[lynchbhoy]

I think this is a good thing - prob many will disagree.

I'd like to see some more of the players who are left out of county panels joining up with weaker counties. This will make them more competetive and hopefully generate more interest in hurling locally if they are not perceived to be out and out losers as before.

e.g.  all those fantastic hurlers that were retired by Kilkenny as they kept refreshing their squads with the influx of new u21 AI winning stars - they could be 'given' to Dublin/meath/kildare etc etc

[AZOffaly]

in the specific examples cited, it's hard to argue against it, as it should make those counties better, and the lads might be evangelists to the other lads on them panels. However my worry is the precedent it might set. Will it be limited to hurling? Will it work the other way, ie. a good Meath hurler abandoning them adnd joining Tipp? The example of Paul Seevers battling away with Sligo. Can we stop him joining up with Galway?

I'd be afraid a can of worms is open if someone decides to challenge this.

The argument as to whether this is of any long-term use to the counties involved is another kettle of fish. I'd be of the opinion that it will only help if the counties develop underage structures in tandem with any boost in the senior team's performance. It's a waste of time if no other young fellas take up the game or come through, and the only benefit is that the weaker county senior team benefits for a few years. That would be pointless in my opinion.

[youbetterbelieveit]

No az, it was brought specifically for this reason only, McCarthy Cup team only can let players go to a tier 2 or 3 team and not the other way, And it is only for hurling.

The idea is very good, however only a small number of counties will over benefit, mainly Kildare/meath/Carlow/wicklow counties around big cities were fellas work such as dublin.

[magpie seanie]

As someone who does not really like transfers of any kind I actually think a limited number of these types of transfers are a good thing. Obviously they should be used in tandem with a cohesive and determined underage policy to develop hurling in the weaker counties. This should be the GAA's number 1 priority.

[Captain Scarlet]

seanie yae there is no doubt that under age development should be the main priority but a quick fix is no harm either.

if a lad moves to the county and the team improves their profile will get better and so lads will stay around longer.

no harm once there are young prospects being kept out of the team by an ex tipp or kk player. then i would have a problem.

[The Claw]

I think it is a great thing for Meath hurling and weaker counties in general.
There was talk a couple of years ago of Seanie McMahon joining meath but there was no facility for this. Surely if a player is good enough to play at intercounty level and he wants to play, he should be allowed.

A good point is that it certainly raises the profile of the team, people will turn out to see how such a player plays at a lower level and hoprefully more locals would want to play for the county.

I am happy that the number is limited to three however as a soccer situation where a lack of nuturing of talent could materialise.
A slight worry would be that a bidding war would happen - two counties compete for one player - surely a county will want to provide some 'incentives' for that player to join that county?

[Armagh4SamAgain]

I think this is a grate ider for weaker hurley countys. Boys in Armagh & Monaghan & Down etc etc will all learn good training habits an so on from hurlers from the top teams like cork & kilkenny. The teams will also be stronger and they will give better countys a good match.

I think that any hurler in cork or Kilkeeny or Tpperery who doesnt make the county team should be available to be picked by weaker countys and if they wont play fpo the weaker countys then they should be expelled from the assocaition.

I think they should get expenses for playing for weaker counties and should coaches the kids during the weekend of a match with the weaker county and shoukld get paid for the coaching part but not for playing.
Thats what i think.

[Sky Blue]

I think this is a grate ider for weaker hurley countys. Boys in Armagh & Monaghan & Down etc etc will all learn good training habits an so on from hurlers from the top teams like cork & kilkenny. The teams will also be stronger and they will give better countys a good match.

I think that any hurler in cork or Kilkeeny or Tpperery who doesnt make the county team should be available to be picked by weaker countys and if they wont play fpo the weaker countys then they should be expelled from the assocaition.

I think they should get expenses for playing for weaker counties and should coaches the kids during the weekend of a match with the weaker county and shoukld get paid for the coaching part but not for playing.
Thats what i think.

Is that what you think??
When you get past the spelling, I actually agree with a lot of what you're saying, except of course the compulsion bit. You can't force lads from the strong hurling counties to travel north or east for weekends on pain of being expelled from the GAA. What sort of association to you think this is?
Voluntary yes. With coaching and expenses it might achieve something.

[BallyhaiseMan]

i wonder do Cork/Killkenny/Tipp etc have 15 spare players to play with Cavan 

[johnneycool]

I think this is a grate ider for weaker hurley countys. Boys in Armagh & Monaghan & Down etc etc will all learn good training habits an so on from hurlers from the top teams like cork & kilkenny. The teams will also be stronger and they will give better countys a good match.

I think that any hurler in cork or Kilkeeny or Tpperery who doesnt make the county team should be available to be picked by weaker countys and if they wont play fpo the weaker countys then they should be expelled from the assocaition.

I think they should get expenses for playing for weaker counties and should coaches the kids during the weekend of a match with the weaker county and shoukld get paid for the coaching part but not for playing.
Thats what i think.

Is that what you think??
When you get past the spelling, I actually agree with a lot of what you're saying, except of course the compulsion bit. You can't force lads from the strong hurling counties to travel north or east for weekends on pain of being expelled from the GAA. What sort of association to you think this is?
Voluntary yes. With coaching and expenses it might achieve something.

While the counties around the greater Dublin area are bound to get the greatest benefit from this rule I thought they had to be at least a resident in their adopted county i.e in the case of David Kennedy who now lives in Kildare but still plays his club hurling in Tipp. I didn't think players could just opt for whatever county willy nilly. Does Eoin Brislane reside in Meath?

[youbetterbelieveit]

I am sure some one will give him an address to use

[realredhandfan]

I honestly believe that in order to give some of the weaker counties a chance in Gaelic Football some of the Tyrone panel could be given to other counties to even things up.  I mean a lot of them live near Armagh anyway..

[highking]

To qualify to play for a Tier 2 or 3 county you must either be resident in that county or qualify under the parentage rule. A former Dublin hurler recently transferred to Mayo under the parentage rule and is making his place on the team and has been a plus. He is not high profile - but his inclusion has helped the panel, especially in the scoring department where the weaker counties need help on. From what I have read, only five of these transfers can happen into a county.

I havent heard of any players going to a Nicky Rackard county yet but maybe there has been. I couldnt see how any decent non-native hurler would consider playing in Division3. Mayo played kildare recently and they had a player from Tipp (david Kennedy) and a player from buffers alley in wexford. I think his name was paudie reidy. Is he another one of these transfers? 

[jeremiah]

Micky McCullagh from Antrim is hurling development officer for Tyrone and also plays for them. He was sent off at the weekend i believe