Ulster's McKenna Cup

[Orior]

Has the McKenna Cup been shelved during 2025?

A real shame if it has.

[p3427977]

Yes

[Derry Optimist]

With the shelving of the McKenna Cup for 2025 Derry's chances of three in a row are gone! I presume Counties will play plenty of challenge matches to compensate. Thus the  players welfare argument goes out the window if teams are going to play the same amount of games whether it is in the McKenna Cup or otherwise.

[Armagh18]

With the shelving of the McKenna Cup for 2025 Derry's chances of three in a row are gone! I presume Counties will play plenty of challenge matches to compensate. Thus the  players welfare argument goes out the window if teams are going to play the same amount of games whether it is in the McKenna Cup or otherwise.

Sure they were doing that anyway.

The welfare argument is bullshit. With modern sports science etc players loads are being managed to the minute.

[bennydorano]

Seems another pointless boneheaded decision that will not change the amount of training nor games played as teams look to prepare for the leagues.  Also hard to beat the McKenna Cup in January when people are looking excuses to get out of the house to do something in the depths of a post Christmas funk.

Idiots.

[DuffleKing]

Advantages I've heard...

Counties can plan their schedule themselves, including making plans around 3rd level.
Counties can host games and take a gate*

* this is the big one.

[armaghniac]

Seems another pointless boneheaded decision that will not change the amount of training nor games played as teams look to prepare for the leagues.  Also hard to beat the McKenna Cup in January when people are looking excuses to get out of the house to do something in the depths of a post Christmas funk.

Idiots.

Any team will half a dozen new panel members and will want to see them in a real game. And it is not a coincidence that the record McKenna cup attendance of 19,631 came on a sunny January day after one team involved had won an All Ireland, when the other might have. Apart from anything else, why forgo the revenue?

I don't get this at all. At best it is a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Advantages I've heard...

Counties can plan their schedule themselves, including making plans around 3rd level.
Counties can host games and take a gate*

* this is the big one.

Of course you could have a well attended game in the Athletic grounds and play the Seven Nation Army, Freed from Desire,  and G for Geezer on the tannoy, but which other team would want to come along?

[DuffleKing]

Well let's say...

Armagh v Dublin
Armagh v Tyrone
Armagh v Mayo

[bennydorano]

Advantages I've heard...

Counties can plan their schedule themselves, including making plans around 3rd level.
Counties can host games and take a gate*

* this is the big one.

Friendlies tend to be cloak & dagger affairs in GAA pre season, with a need to know basis for locations! Will take a big mindset change to start with pay-in challenge games.

[DuffleKing]

That is definitely the plan though, as you say, it'll take a bit of work.

I guess if counties set out say 3 games in January as their season prep series and market accordingly it could work.

Easier to sell Armagh v Dublin than Longford v Leitrim. I guess counties would be agreeing to split gates.

[screenexile]

That is definitely the plan though, as you say, it'll take a bit of work.

I guess if counties set out say 3 games in January as their season prep series and market accordingly it could work.

Easier to sell Armagh v Dublin than Longford v Leitrim. I guess counties would be agreeing to split gates.

No big deal sure the McKenna cup was a nothing competition anyway. Didn't Armagh play a McKenna cup game one day (with the bones of a team and u20s) and a challenge match the next or did I misremember that??

[Saffrongael]

Let's face it, the McKenna Cup was a series of pumped up challenge games

[EmeraldOpal]

Will counties even want to arrange challenge games against teams they will play a few weeks time in the league. Will Counties even want to travel long distances that time of year. Will we just end up with load of challenges  ulster teams meaning they might aswell have kept mckenna cup.As i think someone pointed out are a lot of challenge games behind closed doors and not promoted.

[ONeill]

Jeepers I loved the McKenna Cup. Kept me going over Christmas.

[bennydorano]

As rubbish as the McKenna Cup cud be, someone did a lot of the organising for your County, that step will be removed and I'd say we're all in agreement that warm up games WILL be played to the same degree, so it's probably more hassle not to have it!