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This has the makings of a really tight and entertaining competition with real in built incentive to progress. No easy game here. Blackbog (Carlow) - Posts: 704 - 10/04/2018 08:42:18 2091995 Link 1 |
has the makings of a great competition,but with my clairvoyant hat on,if dublin finish bottom of the leinster championship,the leinster championship will be restructured to suit them next year.but if offaly finish bottom,thats grand. perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 10/04/2018 09:50:17 2092008 Link 2 |
Would a stronger county actually be better off in the Joe McDonagh Cup? Guaranteed 5 games which you should win, giving you a place in the round before the quarter finals where you play the 3rd best in Munster or Leinster. This year it is a very competitive competition but the idea that if Antrim, Carlow, Laois, Westmeath or Meath win it they will replace the bottom team in leinster is farcical. They should at least have to beat the bottom team in leinster in a play off. 890202 (Wexford) - Posts: 1278 - 10/04/2018 10:19:03 2092014 Link 0 |
No......nothing beats hurling the top counties. With all due respect to those counties, there is nothing like hurling Galway and Kilkenny and if you come 3rd in the league, you would probably still be better placed in an All-Ireland qualifier. The winner should have to play the bottom team in both provinces. Imagine if Kerry beat the bottom team in Munster, there would be some shifting done to change the structure then! Anyway, with respect to the teams involved, I dont think it should be turned into a championship structure debate. I would expect Laois to win it. Carlow must fancy their chances as well. Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 10/04/2018 11:08:03 2092028 Link 0 |
Perfect 10 has got his clairvoyance spot on. Dublin make the drop, change in structure next year, Offaly go down no change. Personally I think Offaly V Dublin game will decide who stays up or goes down.
thelongridge (Offaly) - Posts: 1741 - 10/04/2018 12:20:44 2092059 Link 0 |
Antrim will also be expecting to do well. They had a reasonable league and will hopefully get decent support for their home games in this. Meath are probably a little below the level of the other 5 but all will fancy their chances. Should be a very interesting competition.
Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 10/04/2018 12:43:01 2092069 Link 2 |
I would agree, but I also think anybody going to Tullamore would need to be very careful as Offaly will fancy a scalp there.
Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 10/04/2018 14:50:19 2092116 Link 0 |
Round 1 (5th May) Saffronhurl (Antrim) - Posts: 30 - 10/04/2018 15:20:12 2092125 Link 0 |
It's two teams not one that will be relegated from this to the Ring Cup. There's only supposed to be five in this but Meath kicked as at the time they were reigning Ting Cup holders. So they made it six for this the first year. Two go down but only the Ring Cup winners come up. At the top, Two make it to the preliminary All Ireland quarter final but only the winners are promoted, unless they're Kerry of course. Onion Breath (Carlow) - Posts: 1412 - 10/04/2018 16:19:57 2092160 Link 0 |
Absolutely killing club fixtures in Antrim, bricktop (Down) - Posts: 2503 - 10/04/2018 16:27:14 2092162 Link 0 |
I actually think Kerry are probably the weakest of all these teams when it comes to championship. They seem to play great in the league but then fall off championship pace and end up losing games they should be winning. I'd like to see Kerry improve and enter Munster Championship but I don't see it happening within next 5 years. Think Laois should win it but Carlow could pull a surprise. WildPundit (Tipperary) - Posts: 1709 - 10/04/2018 22:19:30 2092238 Link 0 |
In fairness we only kicked up a fuss because we were told by the GAA "Ye finished bottom of the group, so have to be relegated. We'd love to keep you up but rules are rules." It was gutting to go down after one season but I didn't have any legit complaints. Then they tossed the same rules into the shredder and declared Antrim would be promoted irrespective of losing the Christy Ring final and not earning promotion. It was a slap in the face to Meath really. CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1643 - 10/04/2018 22:48:15 2092245 Link 1 |
I don't know. I think Michael Duignan with his media profile and clout would be protesting strongly if that happened and probably would be listened to.
PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1903 - 11/04/2018 13:07:05 2092345 Link 2 |
Meath were right to protest.
keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 12/04/2018 16:46:10 2092636 Link 1 |
A blow to Antrim's chances of going much further in the JMcD Cup after today's match!! Brian_Coyote (Antrim) - Posts: 346 - 12/05/2018 20:44:28 2099881 Link 0 |
With the exception of games involving Meath, all games in this competition are going to be fierce tasty. There's nothing between five of them. I doubt anyone will go 100% through this. It's a very interesting competition but whatever two emerge from it to play the third placed teams in Leinster and Munster will probably be battered and broken by the time those games are played. The teams with the best 25 hurlers will probably come out on top as big squads of players up to the mark will be needed. My prediction is Westmeath and Leix will be the top two, Carlow third, Antrim fourth, Kerry fifth and Meath will probably finish pointless. Onion Breath (Carlow) - Posts: 1412 - 12/05/2018 21:10:05 2099885 Link 0 |
I think the Antrim casualty list from the Carlow game proves the point that Antrim hurlers STILL physically and mentally struggle at this level and intensity. If they are to improve as senior inter county hurlers they NEED to toughen up BOTH in the body and head and pretty quick in my opinion. They ALSO need to be streetwise and know when to ride and avoid hits which they don't at the minute. I wouldn't say Carlow are the pit bulls of hurling but they still left Antrim lying in the corner licking their wounds. I will say it until the cows come or reality bites, whatever comes first; Antrim senior hurlers and footballers are too soft physically and mentally for the rigours of the games at that level. Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9702 - 13/05/2018 01:34:38 2099910 Link 0 |
I don't know how you can predict that after the hiding you gave us in the league final. I agree it's a great competition but I don't agree about Meath they will be a threat too and will give 110% against us today. Its far too early to say who will make final and with possibly two going down to Christy Ring there will be no late easy games.
jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1456 - 13/05/2018 09:11:56 2099918 Link 0 |
Give over would you. People get injured, it happens. They won a tight game against a team that did them over in the Christy Ring final last year. Yet you still find an excuse to put in a few digs. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4225 - 13/05/2018 11:11:24 2099939 Link 2 |
I am not even going to address the points you make other than to say that your post is pathetic.
Glensboy (Antrim) - Posts: 287 - 13/05/2018 11:55:20 2099953 Link 1 |