St. Brigid's vs. Crossmaglen Rangers - All-Ireland Senior Club Semi-final 2013

[Man of Kent]

Ok, thanks. But how is the competition structured? If we arrive at province winners (4?). How to you get quarter finals? In the County Championship London play in Connaught, but in this Club Championship they appear to get a wild card. Still not sure I get it!

[armaghniac]

In this competition there are no quarter finals, except the one involving London. THe other provincial winners go into the semi-finals. This is straight knockout, no second chance, like the "good" old days.

[Milltown Row2]

In this competition there are no quarter finals, except the one involving London. THe other provincial winners go into the semi-finals. This is straight knockout, no second chance, like the "good" old days.

Which is what Croke park should do again, this back door system is crap and holds the county up and spoils the season for the majority of club players!! Plus Antrim hurlers go straight into the semi finals for a change

[Syferus]

The London champions rotate around all four provinces' champions for QFs over the course of four years. They played Brigids in December of last year in a QF.

I have to imagine there would be uproar if the London champions actually won a QF at some stage, the sheer effort it takes teams to win their provinces these days makes the London champions' placement in the last five incredibly unfair on everyone else. I'm guessing the financial pressures it'd put on a London club to compete in Connacht is the reasoning but it'd be a far better solution than what we have currently.

Maybe cutting out a few of the dangling carrots for intercounty players making summer trips would be in order so London GAA can build a pot up for the eventual London champions to actually compete and not simply be a token a addition.

[Orchardman]

Sorry to be a bit dense, but can someone explain this competition please.

I was under the impression that each county provided a winner who then competed in a knock out system. Someone previously described it as being like the Champions League.

However  the London winners appear to be playing Dr Crokes (Kerry)/Castlehaven (Cork) in a quarter final. So are they playing the Munster  winners? I don't think Tir Chonaill Gaels have played a match since winning the London Championship.

Again sorry, but I'd like to understand what I'm watching!

until 7 or 8 years ago the london champs would go into a british semi final and final, against lancashire and scottish champs etc. So the british champs then went into all ireland 1/4. Nearly all the time the london team would win it. This maybe changed when they brought in the all ireland junior and intermediate cups around 2004. Liverpool john mitches, who had won the senior lancashire cup, then won the british junior and got to all ireland junior final about 3 or 4 years ago

[yellowcard]

Does ANYBODY think that Kilcoo can beat Cross? I can't see Kilcoo getting any more than 10 points and defeat will be inevitable.

[Rossfan]

In this competition there are no quarter finals, except the one involving London. THe other provincial winners go into the semi-finals. This is straight knockout, no second chance, like the "good" old days.

Which is what Croke park should do again, this back door system is crap and holds the county up and spoils the season for the majority of club players!! Plus Antrim hurlers go straight into the semi finals for a change

A proper National fixtures schedule could see club and County Championships run in tandem over the best months of the year from May to September no matter what formats were used in either competitions or no matter what County team managers wanted either.

As for Antrim hurlers getting straight to semi finals -- -what were the scores in the Minor and U 21s that they got straight to this year???

[crossfire]

The London champions rotate around all four provinces' champions for QFs over the course of four years. They played Brigids in December of last year in a QF.

I have to imagine there would be uproar if the London champions actually won a QF at some stage, the sheer effort it takes teams to win their provinces these days makes the London champions' placement in the last five incredibly unfair on everyone else. I'm guessing the financial pressures it'd put on a London club to compete in Connacht is the reasoning but it'd be a far better solution than what we have currently.

Maybe cutting out a few of the dangling carrots for intercounty players making summer trips would be in order so London GAA can build a pot up for the eventual London champions to actually compete and not simply be a token a addition.

Due to the larger number of games involved in winning leinster their champions never play a quarter final.

[Milltown Row2]

In this competition there are no quarter finals, except the one involving London. THe other provincial winners go into the semi-finals. This is straight knockout, no second chance, like the "good" old days.

Which is what Croke park should do again, this back door system is crap and holds the county up and spoils the season for the majority of club players!! Plus Antrim hurlers go straight into the semi finals for a change

As for Antrim hurlers getting straight to semi finals -- -what were the scores in the Minor and U 21s that they got straight to this year???

Was in pure jest, what was the score the Rossie put up in theirs?

[Rossfan]

Football -
Our Minors lost the Qtr final v Kerry while our U21s reached the AIF.
Hurling -
Our U21s won the All Ireland while the Monirs had a bad day in the Final v Kerry.

I know you were jesting a little - but surely ye're minor and U 21 hurlers ( and Galways too) should be in the "Leinster" Championship same as Seniors.
As for Kilcoo - hard to see them beating Crossmaglen but they are from Down and may have the Down confidence or "swagger". However there wasn't much sign of swagger as the puked their way through the semi final.

[Syferus]

Roll on February. This could be one of the games of the year.

[yellowcard]

Shaping up like 2 very good semi finals. I fancy Ballymun to beat Portlaoise and I would fancy a Cross v Crokes AI final.

[catchandkick]

Cross have been beaten by Vincents and  Kilmacud Crokes in recent years. They are not invincible. Brigids have a lot of very good footballers and Cross haven't really been tested yet in my estimation. Here's me thinking they have an Ulster Final to play as well!!

Stretching the definition of recent there. The Vincents game was five years ago, ffs. At least half of that Cross team has been replaced.

I do think that Cross-Vincent's game from February 2008 would be a good template for other teams on how to beat Cross. Admittedly, some of that team has been replaced but their style of football has not changed massively over the years

[catchandkick]

The London winners alternate each year playing the winners of one of the Irish provinces. Logically they should be inserted into Munster or Connacht at an earlier stage, as the London "county" team is.

Very true. Surely this has been proposed at some stage?

They might even do better as well. In Munster this year I reckon Tir Chonaill Gaels could have given Stradbally (Waterford), Castlehaven, Clonmel Commercials and the Limerick champs whose name escapes me a decent game. Crokes and KIB would probably be a cut above them.

[catchandkick]

Shaping up like 2 very good semi finals. I fancy Ballymun to beat Portlaoise and I would fancy a Cross v Crokes AI final.

Fancy Portlaoise to beat Ballymun myself but I agree on your final pairing.