National Hurling League 2023 Discussion

legendary.xix

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120064606#Comment_120064606

Yeah, same. The Division 2 finals will be a week before the start of the McDonagh Cup. That's unfair. If they are determined to have the McDonagh final at the end of May, possibly Division 2 semi-finals should be scrapped so the league finals can be a week earlier?

PTH2009

What happens if the Wexford vs Galway Round 1/Walsh Cup game ends in a draw ??

Billy Ocean

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120171717#Comment_120171717

Both teams get a point in the league, a penalty shootout will decide who wins the Walsh Cup.

PTH2009

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120171733#Comment_120171733

Have a feeling it could come down to that

C4000

With the new structure for the football season, is there a danger that hurling will be overshadowed for much of the year? The football league is already looking sure to be highly competitive and well contested whereas there is a sense that the Hurling league is becoming less important. We'll then have a situation where only 6 Liam Mccarthy teams will be left in the championship by the end of May. In June there's due to be 38 football championship matches compared to 9 Hurling matches (including lower tier finals). Even the provincial round Robins, which is where Hurling has a big advantage, will be played on the same weekends as the provincial football finals and competing for coverage.

PTH2009

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120180373#Comment_120180373

The new Saturday Game will definitely help with the load

Really wish they would find a way of extending the Hurling Championship. Crazy that potentially 2 Munster teams could only play 9 competitive games with there season done and dusted in bloody May.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120180373#Comment_120180373

People have been predicting the overshadowing of hurling since Cúchulainn.

People who are into hurling will pick any hurling game over football and vice versa. Doesn't really matter what clashes. Also hurling is full throttle from the opening of the championship where as the football is pretty crap until the Q/F stage. The new group stage I bet will be mostly predictable.

Hurlings big failing is still the league. Football league is way better but football is lucky enough to have more teams at a similar level.

keeponhurling

It does seem like the football league was never been so competitive.

And the hurling league has never been less competitive.

In the hurling, there is no worry of relegation for the bigger teams. And getting to the final is also not good as it's too close to the round robin, too many matches etc.

I suppose the high number of new managers this year in hurling may add slightly to the interest levels. Cork, Tipp, Waterford, Kilkenny and Dublin all with new managers.

randd1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120180373#Comment_120180373

Amalgamating the League & Championship would be the obvious choice long term. A 12 team round robin, everyone guaranteed 11 games, at least 5 at home. All knockout games (with the exception of the final) would be finish on the day.

The Provincial Championships would be incorporated into the league phase of the Championship. Basically, there would be 2 mini-leagues within the main league, with the top 2 of the Munster league into the Munster Final, and the top 2 of the Leinster league into the Leinster Final. The Provincial winners go to the AI Semi-Finals, and the loser to the AI Quarter-Finals the week after.

On the same weekend of the Munster/Leinster Finals, the 4 best ranked teams of the league who are not provincial finalists would go into a playoff to get to the QF. On the next weekend would see the QF's between the winners of the playoff and the loser of the Provincial Finals, and from there on close out the Championship as normal.

Now the technical side of things (though still easy enough to follow).

To add a bit of bite to things in the league phase, the league ranking would determine the pairings of every knockout round and home advantage for the qualifiers. For example in the qualifier round, if the four provincial finalists in Munster and Leinster had also occupied the rankings of 1-4 in the round robin, then teams 5-8 would progress to the Qualifiers with 5 playing 8, and 6 playing 7, with teams ranked 5 and 6 getting home advantage in the qualifier game.

The same would apply to the Quarter-Finals. For example, if the Munster runner-up was ranked 2 in the round robin, and the Leinster runner-up was ranked 4 in the round robin, and teams ranked 6 and 8 came through the Qualifier, then the Munster runner up would face the team ranked 8 and the Leinster runner up would face the team ranked 6 in the Quarter Finals.

The Semi-Finals would work on the usual principal that any team that was runner up in their Provincial Final who makes the AI Semi-Final would face the winner of the opposite province. However, if neither of the Provincial runners-up make the AI Semi-Final, then the AI Semi-Final pairings would then be based on the round robin rankings, with the Provincial Champion with the highest round robin ranking playing the team with the Semi-Finalist with the lowest round robin ranking.

On the time-line side of things, run it along the lines of 3 weeks round robin, rest week, 3 weeks round robin, rest week, 3 weeks round robin, rest week, two weeks round robin, Munster/Leinster finals and Qualifiers, AI Quarter-Finals, rest week, AI Semi-Finals, rest week, AI Final. Set the AI Final for the 2nd Sunday in July (or the 3rd if there are 5 Sundays) and work back from there. There would only be 3 weeks between the Provincial Finals and the AI Semi-Finals. No team would play more than 3 weeks in a row except for those in the AI Quarter-Finals with 4, and even at that all 4 of them teams would be in the same boat.

If that timeframe were applied this year, the Championship would start on the first week of March and finish on July the 16th, giving plenty of time to run off the county and club championship, a proper winter break, plenty of time for the Fitzgibbon Cup to be completed at the start of the year, and still time for some pre-season competition to try out lads.

It runs in a timely manner, the Provincials still play a role, the league rankings matter throughout, and it's a structure that can be applied at the lower levels too.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120182333#Comment_120182333

Sounds like the kinda American style shte the rugby are adopting now.

evolvingtipperary101

New Wexford jersey:

https://twitter.com/OfficialWexGAA/status/1620724168101871619?s=20&t=N3FBUqhGZcD57sdUdwYpVg

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120194167#Comment_120194167

To commemorate what exactly ?

evolvingtipperary101

The Wexford GAA Commemoration Jersey celebrates the county’s first All-Ireland success, 130 years ago. Selskar Young Ireland’s represented Wexford in the 1893 All-Ireland football final. The Selskar Young Ireland’s crest is featured on the front and back.

castletownman

And it was worn by the footballers last week, which was more fitting given it's commemorating a football AI win.

breezy1985

The white kit reminds me of the old Irish International Rules kits.

Would love that to be the Limerick keepers kit this season instead of the horrible cyan crap we got. Outside of it being ugly I hate this generic soccer style keepers kits creeping into GAA.

YabaDabaDooley

So who do posters fancy for the league this year? I see Davy has gone with a strong looking Waterford team first game out v Dublin with lots of strength on the bench.

I think Cork will look to have a good league too.

And Galway under Henry will improve also.

Kilkenny always treat the league with respect so can never be ruled out.

How will Kiely and Limerick priortise the league?

Are the Banner a contender?

I see Tipp favoured in some quarters this year. Not for me.

Dublin are rebuilding so will take time under Michael O Donoghue i suspect.

Wexford may give the league a rattle. Still missing a lethal forward or two i feel.

Hard to call but i tip Galway to win the league.

PTH2009

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120200718#Comment_120200718

Going to be an interesting league and possibility of so many winners from 1A and 1B

Feel it could be someone like Cork, Clare or Galway. All in which need a trophy

Last year was a bit of a freak in terms of some teams flying in the league then imploding in the Championship. While some had terrible leagues but great championships

YabaDabaDooley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120200950#Comment_120200950

Yea should be interesting alright. I do expect Waterford to beat us tomorrow. I see the bookies have ye at 3/10.

Looking forward to the two games on tv today. First up Wexford v Galway which doubles up as the Walsh Cup final.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120200718#Comment_120200718

I think practically everyone except Limerick could do with a trophy. It seems to either be the first year or a big year for every manager bar Kiely too.

If Galway go all in I think they will do it. I think they were much better last year than they get credit for because Clare and Kk were the big stories.

YabaDabaDooley

15 minute delay for Wexford v Galway game. Fire safety concern apparently. All is ok though and given the go ahead for 17.15

YabaDabaDooley

Same old story woth Wexford. Not enough scoring threat up front. Lots of wides. Some really poor. Galway took a while to get going but look like they should go on and win with a bit to spare now.

YabaDabaDooley

Limerick showing their class here in spells. Some really accurate point scoring from all angles. Declan Hannon as usual holding the centre so well. He's such a clever and skillful centre back.

ShamoBuc

Double scores in Cork with Limerick well in control.

Cork looked to be coming back into it on the scoreboard but then Limerock knocked over 4 or 5 in a row leading up to ht.

dvega

Limerick miles ahead from this time last year, some of the scores have been crazy for first competitive county match, really impressive so far. Cork very sloppy and wasting chances

ShamoBuc

19,516 some crowd in fairness.

ShamoBuc

Cork beginning to make a game of it, 1-10 v 0-17

YabaDabaDooley

Better from Cork in early stages of second half. Robbie O Flynn showing killer speed time and again capped off with top class goal Cork's best player tonight.

YabaDabaDooley

The blood and bandage are on fire down by the Lee.

ShamoBuc

Another Cork goal.... draw after 45, Cork are giving Limerick a game of it now,

YabaDabaDooley

Lehane working hard but nothing going right for him. Hoggy and Robbie a dynamic duo on the inside line.