County finals, it's the 23 of October FFS

Milltown Row2 · October 23, 2011, 05:37:53 PM

Surely we owe it to the players/clubs/fans to have these games played long before this.

Watching the finals and listening to the games on the radio, while tense and enthralling, the conditions these lads are playing in is a disgrace. These are the best players in the county some the best in the country and they are shoveling around in a mud pit for the ball. Instead of showcasing their skills

What's the answer though? Played before the All Ireland finals? Would feel robbed playing in those conditions if ya lost

Farrandeelin · October 23, 2011, 05:44:43 PM

I don't know. Maybe a situation where the GAA relaxes their fortnight-before-county-games situation to fre up the time. Or else, all counties go straight knock-out, or else bring back the straight knock-out to the county championships. To be fair, that's the only way I can see the games being played in better weather.

muppet · October 23, 2011, 06:05:08 PM

The solution has to involve the inter-county championships as well.

Suggestion (which is along the lines of one made a decade ago by a Gaa committee):
Two 10 team conferences (Ulster/Connacht & Leinster/Munster) all play all over say 10 weeks (say 5 weeks one week break 4 weeks). The tables are used to qualify for the four provincial finals and then AI-semis and a final. The other teams play in a division two with promotion/demotion.

The 10 weeks would have no club fixtures and could be run over by may, june and be over by mid-july. Then the clubs could start (they could also play before May) and all but 8 counties would have the rest of july, aug and sept for the clubs. After the provincial finals at say the end of july, the semis could be mid aug and final early or mid sept. Even the teams involved in the latter stages could get club games played in august and sept.

The benefit would be a county teams guaranteed a minimum of 9 games a season. Provincial rivalries and titles retained. Proper demarkation of club and county seasons.

Milltown Row2 · October 23, 2011, 06:21:40 PM

Something needs to be done cause thon was an awful day for Gaelic games. The Kilkenny final was played in atrocious conditions and ended in a draw. Fair play of them for throwing up a great game considering but it would have been a far sight better had it been played earlier in the month

BennyCake · October 23, 2011, 06:25:12 PM

Theres no reason why all county finals can't be finished by the end of September. Donegal went furthest in the all Ireland from ulster, and were one if the first finals to be played.

bennydorano · October 23, 2011, 06:31:58 PM

Whoops, I just had a bit of a rant on the latest scores thread saying pretty much the same thing. All counties barring those who make the AI semi's should be forced to have their games played by the end of Sept - All county boards are allegedly run by smart people, there should be no bother in running of a county championship no matter what is happening at County Level. A round or two in April, May & June for those counties who feel the need for a back-door option. Off course weather is variable & you can get shite days in any month of the year, but your asking for trouble once Sept is gone.

thewobbler · October 23, 2011, 06:56:21 PM

For this to happen you need county boards who ruthlessly enforce fixtures. Too many counties are at the mercy of selfish, self interested clubs, who would rather go six without a fixture than play it without a county man, and will always invent and uphold mythical rules about free time before championship fixtures, rather than just play the game.

orchard 8195 · October 23, 2011, 07:13:00 PM

Don't understand this one myself. like the tyrone final was played 2day yet tyrone were outve the championship early august if not before that. Armaghs was last week and we were outve the championship even earlier.

GalwayBayBoy · October 23, 2011, 08:27:32 PM

I imagine those that played in the Clare county hurling final today would agree. It was played in a swamp.

Galway hurling semi-final between Clarinbridge and Craughwell was abandoned at half-time.

Milltown Row2 · October 23, 2011, 08:32:41 PM

Quote from: GalwayBayBoy on October 23, 2011, 08:27:32 PM
I imagine those that played in the Clare county hurling final today would agree. It was played in a swamp.

Galway hurling semi-final between Clarinbridge and Craughwell was abandoned at half-time.

Best decision in my opinion (Galway final) Would it be a crazy thought to have a few in-closed stadiums in the country?

Farrandeelin · October 23, 2011, 08:36:12 PM

I remember in 1996, the Mayo county final was the weekend after the replayed AIF.

brokencrossbar1 · October 23, 2011, 09:18:34 PM

Quote from: Farrandeelin on October 23, 2011, 08:36:12 PM
I remember in 1996, the Mayo county final was the weekend after the replayed AIF.

But ye won it and went on to win Connacht so wasn't any issue to you boys. O agree though, there is no way there should be any championship finals at this stage. Armagh and Down both don't start until the start of August. I don't see the issue with playing a round end of May/early June like they used to, then one end July/early August. That would mean they would both be at quartar or semi stages. It would be different if they were running off their leagues but they are still not finished in Down and while the promotion/relegation issues are decided in Armagh neither Cross teams completed their set of games.

sammymaguire · October 23, 2011, 09:36:33 PM

It would be good to see all show piece county finals played in good weather, on good surfaces, for players, fans and everyone involved and there is no reason why any championship campaign should go past end of September for county stuff.

Howver, I don't think that goes far enough. I think Championships could and should be run in the height of the summer, in tandem with county games. I know we run the risk of injuries to key players but as an amateur sport, it's the time of the year lads can and want to be playing. I think that if you want to keep the pinnacle of the club games on St Patrick's Day, you could start the provincials in 1st weekend of October and make sure they were finished by mid November. December and January should be no play / no train times then back to it at the beginning of Feb for everyone, including the 4 club finalists.

Those players won't be fully match fit?? Probably not 100% but I still think these sorts of timescales are feasible for the playing members of the GAA.

ardtole · October 23, 2011, 09:49:30 PM

I agree with what you are saying Sammy, but in Down Ambrose Rodgers got badly injured before the all Ireland semi final in a club championship and arguably cost us the all ireland. I can see why county managers do not want these games played before county games too.

Orangemac · October 23, 2011, 09:50:40 PM

There seems to be a bit of momentum behind this at the top level so it will be addressed at some stage.

Even if the intercounty championship structure is not changed there is no reason why the AI finals could not be finished by the 1st week of September.

There are 6 games in Connaught and it takes 10 weeks to complete. Similiarly in Ulster the QFs should be played over 2 weekends and not 4, saving 2 weeks of club football.

Some counties have round robins and back doors which also holds things up but I don't think counties should be dicatated to in terms of how their own club championship is run.