Leauge/Championship/Tommy Murphy Cup Farce

Always number 1

Longford Lady here!
IMO the championship needs to be overhauled and then maybe look at the structure of the league but keep them separate for now.
In the last 4 or 5 years we have had the same 2 or 3 teams coming from each province into the quarter finals and it's starting to get boring. Am I the only one that is sick of Kerry v Cork four times a year? I wouldn't like to see them going down the road hurling took and having 3 different competitions because even at that Cork v Kilkenny have been dominating the Liam McCarthy Cup fo years now.
I think it's unfair that teams in 2A & 2B only have one shot at Sam Maguire and everyone else has a second chance. I think that if you are beaten in the Championship you should go straight into the Tommy Murphy Cup, then continue the championship in it's old format and have an open draw for the Tommy Murphy Cup. Either everyone has one shot at Sam or everyone has a second chance.
Don't discriminate against minnows!!!
We have feelings and aspirations too!!!

cournioni

I can see where you are coming from, but does it not bring the incentive of doing better in the league to alot of teams in the lower realms of intercounty football? I think that it is good in that it will make the league more competitive for teams in the lower divisions, and it is alot better for teams that really aren't good enough to compete against say Roscommon, Down, Monaghan or some other average team.

Lets be realistic, I cannot see the likes of Carlow, Longford or Waterford coming close to winning the Sam Maguire. They just aren't at that level, and in order to get to that level, they should prove themselves in the league.

Another good thing about it is that it stops this ridiculous fixture congestion in the intercounty scene which cause club matches to be played in the middle of December. I was playing almost until December last year and I'll tell you, it is not nice to be standing in goal when the temperature is -1C.

Therefore it is not a farce, merely an incentive to do better in the league. It will make teams at the bottom feel like they have something to fight for.

wow sierra

I think the changes are a great idea. The worst possible scenario for anyone is to get knocked out of the championship in the first round and still be in the tommy murphy cup - thats still better than the situatuion before the introduction of the Back door. I come from a county where a lot of us are worried about being in that situation (Im not worried I reckon we Roscommon will probably be in Div 3 or even Div 2 but I'm an optimist!!). The big gap between Div 1 and 2 made promotion usually a brief adventure - the 4 division structure is much better for gradual progression. If you get knocked out in the first round of the Championship and are in Division 4 then in the Tommy Murphy cup at least you get more matches where you have a chance of winning. And if you think you deserve better make sure you are in div 3 the next year. At least this system gives the clubs a chance to play games in reasonable weather.

blackbelt

Well it may be a good idea but I feel an even better idea would be to start the league in January.I think the teams should be credited on which league they are in and how they did.Then the lower tier teams (ie the last five in league 2a and 2b and the last three in division 1a,1b) are put into the Tommy Murphy cup which should start at the end of March/beginning of April until May when the championship begins,holding off the final of the Tommy Murphy cup until September .Based on performance from the league,the fixtures for the provincial championships are made ie the weaker or poorer teams have to play first.

Every team should have two bites of the cherry.An example of this proposal would be.

Division 2a and 2b last 5

Wexford
Roscommon
Offaly
Cavan
Tipperary
Waterford
Carlow
Meath
Clare
Longford

Division 1a and 1b last 3

Donegal
Limerick
Fermanagh
Kildare
Armagh
Galway

The Tommy Murphy Cup could be played in between the hurling and football finals if these two teams are out of the championship at that stage,otherwise after the football final.This proposition could be facilitated by floodlit stadiums and help those teams for the championship.Club matches could be scheduled around the intercounty fixtures ie your club plays mid-week night or Saturday and your county plays that Sunday.It would make for a more interesting league and championship whilst giving poorer/weaker teams more to play for if they are out of their provincial championship and the Sam Maguire cup.