Carlow v Antrim

corcaioch

Big result for Carlow beating Antrim. Surely this would justify Carlow's inclusion in the Leinster Hurling championship...especially as they want to play in it? Westmeath too.

Pride Fighter

I agree, Westmeath narrowly lost to Wexford away. Galway should go back to the Connacht championship where they belong.

Orizio

There is no such thing as a Connacht Championship.

Nice to see Carlow and particurly Westmeath doing well, both teams have a good few quality players that would make any inter-county panel. At the same time, its very worrying for Wexford and Antrim, very erratic league form.

Gingy

I don't see the problem in adding Carlow/Westmeath into the Leinster championship. Even if they had to play a preliminary match against each other, so only one gets in, it would give hurling a great boost in those counties and give the players something to target apart from the Christy Ring cup.

IIMII

Orizio wrote: »

There is no such thing as a Connacht Championship.

And there is no county in Leinster called Galway..

I think there should be a format to include all Leinster counties in the Leinster championship

Pride Fighter

Orizio wrote: »

There is no such thing as a Connacht Championship.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connacht_Senior_Hurling_Championship

Orizio

I'm sure you know what I mean PF, its not too complicated.

shezzie

surrely nothing could justify it.....

Stevecw

corcaioch wrote: »

Big result for Carlow beating Antrim. Surely this would justify Carlow's inclusion in the Leinster Hurling championship...especially as they want to play in it? Westmeath too.

I was at the game yesterday and we played really well and fully deserved the win. Westmeath drew with Antrim in Belfast, and lost by only 4 points to Wexford in Wexford Park yesterday.

Carlow and Westmeath should for sure be in Leinster Championship. These are by far the 2 most improving teams in the country and need to be encouraged.
Ok i know a 1st round Leinster game v Galway or Kilkenny would be pointless. But i reckon best solution would be to have a round-robin prelim Leinster involving Carlow, Westmeath, Antrim and Laois. There is nothing between these 4 sides. This would give each team 3 games in Leinster champ at their own level. Then the winner should go forward to meet one of Offaly, Dublin or Wexford in Leinster qf!

I can only speak for hurling in Carlow, but that would be such an incentive for the players. As it stands the league is actually more exciting for us this year because we are playing at a good level with teams like Antrim, Offaly, Wexford, Laois etc.
Come our championship the Christy Ring...our 1st game is v Wicklow, who are at the bottom of Div 3A...its not our level anymore to be playing these kind of games.

The round-robin i mentioned would please all sides. As for Carlow & Westmeath it gives us games in Leinster Championship which is all we ask for. For Antrim they are in Leinster, are playing games v their own level and if good enough will get out of it and play v Wex, Dub or Off. And for Laois i am sure that round-robin would be a dream to them...3 competitive games..and if they do win it, be well ready for a crack at one of the better sides. Instead of this the reality for them this year is a horrible 1st round mis-match v Galway!

It makes sense to me, and i bet the 4 counties would agree, so why isn't it happening??:rolleyes:

Jugs82

I was at the game yesterday and we played really well and fully deserved the win. Westmeath drew with Antrim in Belfast, and lost by only 4 points to Wexford in Wexford Park yesterday.

Carlow and Westmeath should for sure be in Leinster Championship. These are by far the 2 most improving teams in the country and need to be encouraged.
Ok i know a 1st round Leinster game v Galway or Kilkenny would be pointless. But i reckon best solution would be to have a round-robin prelim Leinster involving Carlow, Westmeath, Antrim and Laois. There is nothing between these 4 sides. This would give each team 3 games in Leinster champ at their own level. Then the winner should go forward to meet one of Offaly, Dublin or Wexford in Leinster qf!

I can only speak for hurling in Carlow, but that would be such an incentive for the players. As it stands the league is actually more exciting for us this year because we are playing at a good level with teams like Antrim, Offaly, Wexford, Laois etc.
Come our championship the Christy Ring...our 1st game is v Wicklow, who are at the bottom of Div 3A...its not our level anymore to be playing these kind of games.

The round-robin i mentioned would please all sides. As for Carlow & Westmeath it gives us games in Leinster Championship which is all we ask for. For Antrim they are in Leinster, are playing games v their own level and if good enough will get out of it and play v Wex, Dub or Off. And for Laois i am sure that round-robin would be a dream to them...3 competitive games..and if they do win it, be well ready for a crack at one of the better sides. Instead of this the reality for them this year is a horrible 1st round mis-match v Galway!

It makes sense to me, and i bet the 4 counties would agree, so why isn't it happening??

+1

That sounds like the most logical format for the championship to be run

It essentially creates 3 tiers in Leinster/Connaught/Ulster

Kilkenny, Galway
Offaly, Wexford, Dublin
Westmeath, Carlow, Antrim & Laois - Group III

It could end up as:

QF

Offaly V Winner of Group III
Wexford V Dublin

SF

Kilkenny V Winner of Offaly V Group III Winner
Galway V Winner of Wexford V Dublin

Of course im not altogether in favour of Galway getting a bye into the SF but this could change after a season or 2 should Offaly or Dublin beat them...

Carlow hurling has been on the up for a while - i vididly remember them beating Offaly a few years back in the league, a sorry day!!

Daysha

I wouldn't actually see any problem with Galway and Kilkenny meeting in the quarter finals, because we've seen the exact same situation in other counties.

In Ulster football Armagh and Tyrone were head and shoulders above everyone else for quite a few years, yet there was still an open draw for all stages of the competition.

In Munster football they've scrapped the seeding for Cork and Kerry, so they can now meet in the semis or even quarters if it occurs.

As for Leinster hurling, I'd be inclined to go the way of what they do in Ulster football. 9 teams, 1 preliminary round, 4 quarter finals, and a completely open draw. If we get Kilkenny v Galway in the first round, so what? Imagine if on the other side of the draw were teams like Dublin, Laois, Carlow etc. They'd have a clean run through to compete in a Leinster final without meeting the "big two". Now THATS an incentive.