Hurling League and Championship changes: 2014 on...

MrJoeSoap

http://thescore.thejournal.ie/hurling-league-and-championship-set-for-revamp-in-2014-695293-Nov2012/#comment-761543

Somewhat "radical" I'm sure some will say, but I have to say I'm not fully against any of the proposals. The weaker Leinster teams having more games between each other is a positive, as is the chance of promotion for the winners of the Christy Ring cup.

The league certainly needs a revamp and I would be in favour of eight-team divisions, rather than the current 6 and 6. If hurling is to improve then it needs more teams playing at a higher level, not less (spot the Dublin fan, eh?).

Any thoughts?

purplepanda

All McCarthy Cup teams should be playing teams of higher standard in the League, what's the point of having lower ranked counties meeting the top sides in the Championship when they don't get a chance to improve their game against the best in the League season?

So it's 12 teams in League 1 in 2 equal divisions IMO, none of this closed shop Division 1A & 1B carry on :pac:

KevIRL

Seems decent enough on the face of it to be honest. Although what happens with the qualifiers? Am I right in thinking that those counties that do not get out of the Leinster round robin do not go into the qualifiers?

MrJoeSoap

KevIRL wrote: »

Seems decent enough on the face of it to be honest. Although what happens with the qualifiers? Am I right in thinking that those counties that do not get out of the Leinster round robin do not go into the qualifiers?

I'm not sure how official it is just yet, I'm sure the details need to be ironed out and it will all be made properly public in due course. I'd imagine the qualifiers remain as is, with the round-robin teams feeding in based on their performances.

Frogeye

The league certainly needs a revamp and I would be in favour of eight-team divisions, rather than the current 6 and 6. If hurling is to improve then it needs more teams playing at a higher level, not less (spot the Dublin fan, eh?)

League needs a revamp? They are always revamping the league and it makes no difference.

If hurling is to improve it will require getting more young lads playing in the weaker counties and then waiting ten or 15 years for them to come through. But that will never happen becasue the football lads won't let it happen. Hurling needs to break away from football. This non stop arsing around with the format is rubbish. realistically, the lads playing for antrim now are never going to beat top teams no matter how many "proper" games they get. its too late for them. its the young lads that can make the difference. Dublin are the proof. It took a few years but you can see it happening now with all the underage hurling success.

MrJoeSoap

Frogeye wrote: »

League needs a revamp? They are always revamping the league and it makes no difference.

Of course it makes a difference. Dublin showed the benefit of several top-tier league campaigns in 2011. When was the last time a side from outside the top-tier in the league made the AI semi-final?

Having 8 teams in the top division will give two extra teams more exposure to the highest standard of hurling from earlier in the year, and not just when it comes to the crunch of the Championship. You'd be doing well to find anyone in hurling these days who support the 6 and 6 format over the 8 team Division 1.

desaparecidos

"Only teams from the qualifying group for developing counties can be relegated. A review of these teams is to take place every three years."

Nice to see the "traditional powers" are protected from relegation no matter how ****e they get.

Frogeye

Of course it makes a difference. Dublin showed the benefit of several top-tier league campaigns in 2011. When was the last time a side from outside the top-tier in the league made the AI semi-final?.

I think you'll find that dublin gained from many years of hard work and investment at underage, the benefits of which began to emerge around 2010/2011

Having 8 teams in the top division will give two extra teams more exposure to the highest standard of hurling from earlier in the year, and not just when it comes to the crunch of the Championship. You'd be doing well to find anyone in hurling these days who support the 6 and 6 format over the 8 team Division 1.

There are only 8 teams that are competitive in any case and only 2-3 that are in with a serious chamce of winning. The league format isn't going to change that whether it s 6 and 6 or 8 or any other way.

MrJoeSoap

Frogeye wrote: »

I think you'll find that dublin gained from many years of hard work and investment at underage, the benefits of which began to emerge around 2010/2011

Of course they did, I'm not doubting that at all. But without being in the top division in the league it wouldn't have been possible either.