National Forum

County Leagues

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What's the point in the League in each county? How did they come about anyway? What's the history behind them? I presume championships in each county came into existence first, and then leagues years later. Does anyone even care about the league? Would an extended championship be a better idea?

Tacaí Liatroma (Leitrim) - Posts: 1032 - 07/11/2023 15:06:32    2511954

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Replying To Tacaí Liatroma:  "What's the point in the League in each county? How did they come about anyway? What's the history behind them? I presume championships in each county came into existence first, and then leagues years later. Does anyone even care about the league? Would an extended championship be a better idea?"
Whatever about the past Club players need something to play in nowadays while the County scene is in full swing (March to June).

Seanfanbocht (Roscommon) - Posts: 1419 - 07/11/2023 16:34:51    2511970

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Replying To Tacaí Liatroma:  "What's the point in the League in each county? How did they come about anyway? What's the history behind them? I presume championships in each county came into existence first, and then leagues years later. Does anyone even care about the league? Would an extended championship be a better idea?"
I'd say it's a similar enough evolution to what happened in inter-county. Championship was first and what mattered and the league was needed to give players preparation games.

Different parts of the country have different traditions when it comes to the league. For Northern teams for a long time it was important and championship entry was linked to it. I think it was similar for Dublin too.

Other Leinster counties the league was pretty unimportant. In Meath historically teams played Championship with 2 groups of 8 until maybe 20 years ago and it was this extended competition.

There's very little room to play extended county championships with inter county and Provincial and All Ireland club competitions to be fit into the calendar.

I do think the intercounty season is too long and at both levels of the game the championship should be extended with league removed.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4226 - 07/11/2023 16:37:34    2511971

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In monaghan it is pretty important.
Obviously championship is the main goal.

Layout in monaghan is 10 teams in senior
10 in Intermediate
10 in junior.
Each year the winner in the championship of junior and intermediate get promoted but also the winners of the leagues get promoted.
And the same going down, worst in league and worst in the championship go down.
You play the same devision of league as championship so this puts importance in the league and I think it works well in monaghan.
We could tidy up the relegation a bit but otherwise it's good in my opinion.

farneygael (Monaghan) - Posts: 277 - 07/11/2023 22:10:27    2512016

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Replying To Tacaí Liatroma:  "What's the point in the League in each county? How did they come about anyway? What's the history behind them? I presume championships in each county came into existence first, and then leagues years later. Does anyone even care about the league? Would an extended championship be a better idea?"
League has been around well over 100 years here and many of those years it went ahead when championships did not. The cup for it is around almost 90 years, our oldest cup competition. There is a prestige to it. Secondary competitions are important to prepare you for the primary one. only one team can win the championship so it is a chance at silverware for another team. The last thing that is needed are extended championships with more dead rubbers

liosbreac6265 (Longford) - Posts: 212 - 08/11/2023 09:03:11    2512029

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