3 options for the hurling league to take...

legendary.xix

Option 1 -- (National Hurling Development Work Group)

Divide Division 1 into 1A and 1B, made up of six teams each, based on where they finished in this year's league. Apply a similar split in Division 2 (six in 2A and 2B). That takes care of 24 counties, leaving the remaining nine (assuming Cavan enter) to compete in a special group (Tain Division).

Top two divisions would look as follows:

1A: Kilkenny, Dublin, Waterford, Tipperary, Galway, Cork.

1B: Wexford, Offaly, Limerick, Clare, Laois, Antrim.

2A: Down, Carlow, Kerry, Westmeath, Wicklow, Derry.

2B: London, Kildare, Meath, Armagh, Mayo, Roscommon.

Five games in each division. Top two in 1A to play for title (outright); top two in 1B, 2A, 2B to play-off for promotion. Bottom two in each division play in relegation play-off. Tain division (bottom nine) will dovetail with a club hurling league.

Option 2 -- (Central Competitions Control Committee)

Divisions 1 and 2 would be comprised of the same counties as in Option 1; similarly for the bottom group.

However, CCCC are proposing a different knockout system. The top two counties in 1A would go directly to semi-finals, where they would be guaranteed home advantage. They would be joined by the winners of two quarter-finals, featuring third 1A v 2nd 1B and fourth 1A v top 1B.

Bottom team in 1A to be relegated and replaced by top team in 1B. Bottom 1B would play off against winners 2A (to be decided on a final) to settle relegation/promotion. A similar promotion/relegation system to apply between 2A and 2B.

Option 3 (GAA Management Committee)

Divide the top 24 into three divisions as decided by placings this year.

Division 1: Kilkenny, Dublin, Waterford, Tipperary, Galway, Cork, Wexford, Limerick.

Division 2: Offaly, Clare, Laois, Antrim, Down, Carlow, Kerry, Wicklow.

Division 3: Westmeath, Derry, London, Kildare, Meath, Armagh, Mayo, Roscommon.

Bottom eight/nine to play in Tain Division, which would be part of a club hurling league.

The top four in Divisions 1, 2, 3, to play semi-finals. Bottom two in each division relegated and replaced by finalists from the division immediately below.

I hope it's option 3. It'd get my vote. Two up and two down between the divisions would be best. Also semi-finals in all divisions will give more games even for lesser counties. It'll be a good experience for the likes of Antrim, Laois or Carlow to play the likes of Offaly and Clare in a division semi-final.

InchicoreDude

Tain division (bottom nine) will dovetail with a club hurling league.

What exactly does this mean? And which clubs???

Bottom team in 1A to be relegated and replaced by top team in 1B. Bottom 1B would play off against winners 2A (to be decided on a final) to settle relegation/promotion. A similar promotion/relegation system to apply between 2A and 2B.

This will make it harder for teams to play the likes of Kilkenny & Tipp which is what most people are saying is holding back the likes of Clare

The top four in Divisions 1, 2, 3, to play semi-finals. Bottom two in each division relegated and replaced by finalists from the division immediately below.

So coming 4th in division 1 of a division of 7 gets you into a semi final! That should absolutely not be the case. You lose more matches than win and still be in a semi-final!
Also there is a huge gulf in class in division 2 between Offaly/Clare and Kerry/Wicklow which is the issue that a league revamp is trying to address.

It'll be a good experience for the likes of Antrim, Laois or Carlow to play the likes of Offaly and Clare in a division semi-final.

This differs very little to the current system; they already get the opportunity to play Clare (Limerick this year) in league matches.

Of the 3 options presented, option 1 would be my preference but it is far from ideal. There are more simple options that the ones presented here which could be explored; an 8 team division 1 with 1 team relegated each year makes perfect sense to me for example.

Browney7

InchicoreDude wrote: »

Tain division (bottom nine) will dovetail with a club hurling league.

What exactly does this mean? And which clubs???

Bottom team in 1A to be relegated and replaced by top team in 1B. Bottom 1B would play off against winners 2A (to be decided on a final) to settle relegation/promotion. A similar promotion/relegation system to apply between 2A and 2B.

This will make it harder for teams to play the likes of Kilkenny & Tipp which is what most people are saying is holding back the likes of Clare

The top four in Divisions 1, 2, 3, to play semi-finals. Bottom two in each division relegated and replaced by finalists from the division immediately below.

So coming 4th in division 1 of a division of 7 gets you into a semi final! That should absolutely not be the case. You lose more matches than win and still be in a semi-final!
Also there is a huge gulf in class in division 2 between Offaly/Clare and Kerry/Wicklow which is the issue that a league revamp is trying to address.

It'll be a good experience for the likes of Antrim, Laois or Carlow to play the likes of Offaly and Clare in a division semi-final.

This differs very little to the current system; they already get the opportunity to play Clare (Limerick this year) in league matches.

Of the 3 options presented, option 1 would be my preference but it is far from ideal. There are more simple options that the ones presented here which could be explored; an 8 team division 1 with 1 team relegated each year makes perfect sense to me for example.

The first 2 options would screw limerick over. They were the best team in div 2 and have won the right to be playing top teams like kk and tipp. Instead they get wexford offaly. Div one to be like the new football format but with only 12 teams mightnt be bad.