So what is to be done with the state of Hurling?

Orizio

With Kilkenny's yearly destruction of Wexford(and Offaly and Dublin and Laois), the lack of any competition whatsoever for Galway in Connacht and the relative dominance of Antrim up north, what is to be done with the embarassing state of the Hurling championship?

Munster is ticking along nicely, and almost completely keeping Hurling interesting these days.So firstly, any revamp would do well to avoid screwing up the majesty of the Muster chapionship.Along with that, surely the Leinster chamionship should be abolished temporarily (until the likes of Dublin and Offaly can offer real competition) with Ulster abolished indefinetly. This would create a kind of 'Rest Of Ireland' championship between Galway, Kilkenny, Antrim, Offaly, Dublin and Wexford to determine who qualified for the all-Ireland quarters.

Your ideas on what reforms need to be implemented?

Daysha

I've one theory which hasn't a hope of ever happening.

1 - Seperate the Provencial Championships from the All Ireland Championships ie how well you do in Munster has no bearing on how you do in the All Ireland.

2 - Scrap the NHL. Partially due to time restraints on my new theory, partially due to most of the teams playing it out as a 2 month long preseason. Have friendlies from March and start the new Championship first week of April.

2 - To put it simply, imagine the English league, with the All Ireland as the Premiership and Munster or the new Northern Championships (everyone bar Munster teams) as the FA Cups

3 - For the All Ireland, have a 9 team league, everyone playing everyone once (in neutral venues). 8 matches all together with the top two in the league facing each other again in the All Ireland final (possibly the top 4 with semis and a final instead)

4 - The Munster and Rest of Ireland Championship matches be played during the league (ie every 4 weeks), both having open draws. Since that would mean only 4 from the top 9 in the new non munster cup, open it up to the best from the 2nd tier, such as Laois, Dublin, Antrim and one other. 8 teams, 4 quarters, 2 semis etc.

5 - A weaker teams cup should be made for teams not in either provencial cup.

Of the top of my head, the leagues would be created as follows:

Tier 1: Kilkenny Cork Waterford Galway Wexford Tipp Clare Offaly Limerick

Tier 2: Dublin Antrim Laois Derry Down Carlow Westmeath Wicklow Kerry

Tier 3: Mayo Kildare Sligo London Tyrone Armagh Donegal

Tier 4: Leitrim Longford Roscommon Fermanagh Monaghan Louth Cavan

The advantages:
- Every match will play significant importance, whether it be avoiding relegation or working to get to the respective finals

- Many more matches, which can only be a good thing

- No more mismatches. Everyone is in a group of similar standard meaning more exciting matches. Even that Tier 2 would be highly competitive, give those middle road teams something to challenge for. A spot in Tier 1 and victory in a tough group

- More exposure of Championship hurling. Theres not enough games between the top teams at the moment during the summer. The Munster, the AI knockout and thats it.

The disadvantages
- Tier 1 teams will play at least 9 matches (8 + 1 prov match) will the top teams could play up to 11 or 12. Even with the earlier start, that could be too much, especially for amateurs.

- Less knockout games in the All Ireland competition

- One team could run away with the league the entire summer, yet lose in the final and not win the AI or not get promoted.

Like I said, it'll never happen. It's just a theory

thirdmantackle

hurling is a much better state than it used to be

its just that Kilkenny and Cork have moved their standard of playing and preparation to a level much higher than anyone else

blackbelt

Here is what I'd do,

Put Limerick,Offaly and Antrim into Connaught and have the Ulster provincial title scrapped into a new title where the remaining Ulster teams are paired off with the likes of Kerry,Carlow,Louth where the title winners and runners up are put into the quarters.

Leinster

KK
Wexford
Dublin
Westmeath
Kildare
Wicklow
Laois
Longford Quarter Final play-offs

Scrap Ulster into a new title pairing

Connaught

Galway
Limerick
Antrim
Offaly
Leitrim
Sligo Into a league + playoff

Munster

Cork
Tipp
Waterford
Clare From a semi final to final

The eight finalist from each group then make the All-Ireland Championship.

cruiserweight

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2007/0704/hurling.html?rss

rte.ie wrote:

GAA President Nickey Brennan has entered the debate over the one-sided nature of the All-Ireland Hurling Championship.

There has been much discussion on the current standard of hurling, with the predictable Leinster Championship coming in for the most scrutiny.

Brennan revealed that he is looking at ways in which things could be inproved and suggests that Antrim and Galway could enter the Leinster Championship, with the Munster Championship being retained.

The GAA President also claimed that an open Championship draw is an option in order to inject some life into top-flight hurling.

Daysha

Blackbelt that Leinster Championship is even more lopsided than the current one. And Limerick shouldn't really leave Munster

Like I said the GAA are never going to make huge changes, just minor ones. And if there is only one thing they need to change, its Leinster, Limerick and Tipp played 3 gruelling matches to get to an All Ireland quarter final, while Kilkenny strolled past Offaly by more than 10 points to get to the same stage. To become seeded in the quarters, Waterford and Limerick have to come through that huge battle Sunday, while in Croker Kilkenny destroyed Wexford by double scores.

I know Kilkenny are a fantastic side, but no wonder there always there or thereabouts come the final. They will always have an easy draw. I mean when was the last time we saw Kilkenny vs Cork in a non-AI final, or Kilkenny vs. Waterford in the quarter finals. If hurling wants to lose its predictability, it MUST have an open draw in the All Irelands

mise_me_fein

Just give it a few years. Dublin are coming through and Offaly are getting decent again. That'd be four teams competing in Leinster and 5 in Munster.

Antrim are coming through too. It's better than it used to be, sure years ago wouldn't the Ulster champs and the Connaught champs play for a place in the All Ireland final.

Flukey

sure years ago wouldn't the Ulster champs and the Connaught champs play for a place in the All Ireland final.

No, in the semi-finals Antrim and Galway were always kept apart, or more importantly the Munster and Leinster Champions were kept apart. In 1989, Antrim had a surprise win over Offaly in the semi-final. Galway have toppled one or other of the Munster or Leinster champions from time to time, to reach the final, winning it in 1980, 1987 and 1988. I've been around a while, but I've never seen Antrim play Galway in an All-Ireland semi-final.

blackbelt

Maybe Clare should be put in Leinster or Connaught but the whole idea of this is a mockery to geography.Any foreign person who is being introduced to hurling who is told a team from the west or south plays for the eastern championship would be left scratching their head in amazement.

Erin Go Brath

The way forward should be:

Munster Championship remains as is. If it ain't broke don't fix it!


Leinster Championship needs to be overhauled. I believe Galway, and Antrim should join the Leinster C'ship, may be more correct to call it the Rest of Ireland Championship.

Munster: Cork, Tipp, Limerick, Clare, Waterford

Leinster/ROI: Kilkenny, Offaly, Wexford, Laois, Dublin, Galway, Antrim

The winners of Munster, and Leinster/ROI should get seeding in the AI QF's, while the runners up should also reach the QF's.

The playoffs/back door system should remain in the same format as currently is.

This would have the advantage of retaining the successful Munster C'ship, while adding a bit more competition into the flagging Leinster C'ship.

Jimoslimos

I'm actually encouraged by Nicky Brennan's call for an open championship. Can't see the attraction (in hurling anyway) of winning a provincial title. I mean by winning just two matches = Leinster/Munster title, hardly what I'd call a stellar acheivement.

future_plans

There should not be any major changes. Such drastic changes would only be a knee-jerk response to what happened last Saturday. It seems to me that the people calling for such changes are not aware with the amount of work that is being done at grass roots levels in a number of counties in Leinster and throughout the country. Calls for this type of action undermines the hard work being done by hundreds of volunteers throughout the province. Yes, Sunday was not pretty. But proper and long term change takes time. There are strong teams coming through in Dublin and Offally. Major work is being done in Laois, Carlow and even Wicklow. Wexford have many outstanding young players coming through. I have no doubt that this barron patch for the rest of the province will pass. I suppose it is only people like me who are involved at underage levels are aware of the amount of work being done and are more optimistic about hurlings future.

I also think the GAA should use the media to promote hurling to the masses. Even glamourise it. It is one of the greatest games and traditions on earth and we have it right here. It has been played in Ireland for over a thousand years. Children in all counties should be aware of not only the history, but by playing the game they are following in the footsteps of great heroes, warriors, poets, leaders and so on. Any stigma that is related to hurling (i.e. "it is a country sport", "it is players fighting with stick") should be quashed by the GAA. I am passionate about the sport. It's a sport of finess, skill, artistry....

Ok...thats my opinion

premierstone

in fairness this all seems a bit of an over reaction the simple fact is that hurling has always been dominated by a select few and there are at the moment probably more creditable contenders than there has ever been with the exception possibly of a period of a few years in the mid to late 90's and even this was probably down to the fact that tipp and cork happened to go through a quiet spell at the same time