Hurling qualifier draw

[GalwayBayBoy]

Offaly v Cork
Laois v Antrim
Wexford v Limerick
Clare v Galway

[orangeman]

Offaly v Cork
Laois v Antrim
Wexford v Limerick
Clare v Galway

[Bord na Mona man]

No harm for Offaly to try and give Cork a rattle.
It could reveal much about the standing of both teams.

[glens73]

Antrim and Laois both got lucky there, put off a spanking for at least a round

What price on Galway flunking to Clare again?

[slow corner back]

Ideal draw for Laois, Antrim very happy to avoid cork. Where and when are the matches, is the first named team at home?

[milltown row]

game is in Laois.  no dates confirmed

seems that the teams who got further in the Comp. got the harder games.

[Zulu]

Ideal draw for Laois, Antrim very happy to avoid cork.

I'd disagree with that, the best draw for either team would have been Offaly at home, i.e a big name that they might have beaten and if so they would have got something out of the year. As it is all they are doing is postponing a bad beating when they'll have to play the stronger teams of round 2.

[Reillers]

game is in Laois.  no dates confirmed

seems that the teams who got further in the Comp. got the harder games.

Exactly, it's stupid. I can't see why the GAA don't put them all into one draw..well it's the GAA, when would they ever do something that makes sense.

But looking at all those draws, Cork are the luckiest side in there.

[INDIANA]

Offaly in tullamore Reillers will be no pushover. I still expect Cork to win but Offaly will make a game of it.

[Canalman]

Agree with you there Indiana. The Leinster teams have an inconvenient habit (for the Munster hurling afficiandos anyway) of really giving the Munster teams right good games. Dublin and Offaly last year for example.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

What way does this phase 1 and pahse 2 thing work?

Doesn't seem to be any incentive to win the early rounds in your province if you get put into the harder qualifier draw?

Do the 2 winners from phase 1 play the 2 winners of phase 2 with the winners playing the beaten provincial finalists?

[slow corner back]

As far as I am aware only teams from phase 1 can be relegated, therefore if Offaly lose to Cork they will be in a relegation play off against Antrim/Laois. On the other hand wexford who beat Offaly cannot be relegated now no matter what happens, thats why it is better to win your first round match.

[Reillers]

Offaly in tullamore Reillers will be no pushover. I still expect Cork to win but Offaly will make a game of it.

Never said they would, it's a tricky draw, and it's been THE game that Offaly have been working towards all season. All the weaker Leinster concentrate fully on the qualifiers, they don't "try" for Leinster..ie beating Kilkenny, it'll be a tough game, but I can hopefully, if we're careful and Walsh doesn't play a totally weak side, we should win, unless, God forbid we have a realy bad day. Hopefully though, all going well we should win. They'll be tricky though, that and not to mention it's not the easiest place to get to either, had to be the bloody back of beyonds like..wonder if they'd give up home advantage and play it in Thurles to keep us happy..ya, if only.

When I said that Cork were the luckiest out of everyone, was because well Laois/Antrim wouldn't have thought us anything and, while no offense to you're Leinster mates but if we can't beat Offaly then what's the point, we've no chance of winning the AI. And when I said lucky I was comparing them to the other group. The strongest team in phase 1 who could play and beat all of the teams there got a much easier draw first round.

[EddieMerx]

I fancy us at home against Limerick, there is not much between the two teams and home advantage might swing it. Reillers don't underestimate Offaly!

[Lecale2]

Is this the way it works?

Winners Phase 2 into Q/Fs along with Provincial finalists.

Winners Phase 1 play losers Phase 2. Winners into Q/Fs.

Losers Phase 1 play off for relegation.

Simple really.