National Forum

Football Format Changes Discussion

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


Replying To Whammo86:  "The thing is that neither seeding or no seeding is great.

With seeding 2 teams get an easy run but with no seeding a weak team can get a handy route to the All Ireland that probably does them no good anyway.

Seeding or not the actual issue is that the reward for getting to a Provincial final is too great because of the inequality between them."
That's it. All provinces at the end of the day can only produce one winner. If you are going down the road of provincial winners only:
1) All Ireland Round 1 should have all 8 games on the same weekend, two weeks after the Ulster and Leinster finals.
2) A Tailteann 8 and a Third Tier 8 would have to start their Round 1 on the same weekend as All Ireland Round 1.
3) Round 2A winners from the Tailteann 8 and from the Third Tier 8 would have to host semi finals on the same weekend as the All Ireland quarter finals.

If agreement is reached on all that - happy days!

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9830 - 13/06/2026 15:45:54    2679252

Link

Replying To Expertinall:  "Deflective answer again, I have always said the system needs to be equal, never said a particular team should never have to play another team of any calibre. I am always happy to highlight the cosy arrangement in munster, which flies in the face of equality! And why so defensive of Kerry, maybe you see them as standard bearers in Munster for yous, rather than actually competing with them?"
Cork have just beaten Donegal in Donegal. Munster football not just one team after all. Cork would be a top 8 team in your system too which you have never mentikned either.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 579 - 13/06/2026 16:46:43    2679262

Link

Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Cork have just beaten Donegal in Donegal. Munster football not just one team after all. Cork would be a top 8 team in your system too which you have never mentikned either."
Again, I have always called it a 2 horse race,if you read back! But kindly address the numerical imbalance and quality of opposition (tailteann cup form?) and not constantly posting deflective posts. If Cork win the whole competition it wont alter those facts. And to a lesser degree they are also there in connacht, but they don't deliberately keep 2 apart.

Expertinall (UK) - Posts: 162 - 14/06/2026 13:38:36    2679499

Link

Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Cork have just beaten Donegal in Donegal. Munster football not just one team after all. Cork would be a top 8 team in your system too which you have never mentikned either."
4 of 6 Munster counties qualified for the All Ireland 16 in the first year of the Tailteann Cup. Facts like that cannot be spoken about for some!

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9830 - 14/06/2026 13:53:14    2679508

Link

Replying To Expertinall:  "Again, I have always called it a 2 horse race,if you read back! But kindly address the numerical imbalance and quality of opposition (tailteann cup form?) and not constantly posting deflective posts. If Cork win the whole competition it wont alter those facts. And to a lesser degree they are also there in connacht, but they don't deliberately keep 2 apart."
I have tried twice now and the reply has failed to appear here.
I will start with your last point. Again you are being hypocritical. The system being adapted mirrors what you are proposing. Seeding in munster will be based on league performance. Im against it myself but that is the system adapted. If it was there 2 seasons ago Clare would have been seeded.
If Cork win the whole thing it wont change the fact that they are a top 8 team now , based on leagur form, either so would have been seeded in your system too.
Clare were a Sam team last season. Limerick were in the TC final last season. We got 2 away games in a row under the new system this season. Its very selective of you to just focus on this seasons form.

On geography- The provinces are what they are since before the foundation of the state and the provincial championships are what they are since the start of GAA(NY and London aside). This association is built on club, county, province, All Ireland both at club and intercounty.its what draws the crowds. The Provincial finals in Munster, Ulster and Leinster drew similar crowds this season. They are important for 2 reasons. 1. It remains important to counties to win their province. 2. Its an honour to go forward and represent yout county as provincial champions in the AI series. This one should not be underestimated. Its a key proponent of what makes the Provincial championship so prestigious. I know the mayo man is saying that they dont count them but I dont believe him. Afterall without Connacht titles Mayo have one more championship trophy than Limerick and one less than Tipperary. Only one team can win the AI every year and football would be dead if it wasn't for the interest and rivalry of the provincial championships. Binning that because of Kerry is absurd.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 579 - 14/06/2026 15:27:13    2679528

Link

Replying To Tadhg2020:  "I have tried twice now and the reply has failed to appear here.
I will start with your last point. Again you are being hypocritical. The system being adapted mirrors what you are proposing. Seeding in munster will be based on league performance. Im against it myself but that is the system adapted. If it was there 2 seasons ago Clare would have been seeded.
If Cork win the whole thing it wont change the fact that they are a top 8 team now , based on leagur form, either so would have been seeded in your system too.
Clare were a Sam team last season. Limerick were in the TC final last season. We got 2 away games in a row under the new system this season. Its very selective of you to just focus on this seasons form.

On geography- The provinces are what they are since before the foundation of the state and the provincial championships are what they are since the start of GAA(NY and London aside). This association is built on club, county, province, All Ireland both at club and intercounty.its what draws the crowds. The Provincial finals in Munster, Ulster and Leinster drew similar crowds this season. They are important for 2 reasons. 1. It remains important to counties to win their province. 2. Its an honour to go forward and represent yout county as provincial champions in the AI series. This one should not be underestimated. Its a key proponent of what makes the Provincial championship so prestigious. I know the mayo man is saying that they dont count them but I dont believe him. Afterall without Connacht titles Mayo have one more championship trophy than Limerick and one less than Tipperary. Only one team can win the AI every year and football would be dead if it wasn't for the interest and rivalry of the provincial championships. Binning that because of Kerry is absurd."
At no point in a system are 2 sided kept apart, and then receive an advantage, for getting to the last 2. That is just unfair, history, geography, or any other smokescreen you use, won't hide that.

Expertinall (UK) - Posts: 162 - 14/06/2026 20:30:20    2679631

Link

Replying To Expertinall:  "At no point in a system are 2 sided kept apart, and then receive an advantage, for getting to the last 2. That is just unfair, history, geography, or any other smokescreen you use, won't hide that."
What system are you talking about? The sporting world is full of examples of seedlings being used. The system, based on league placing, that you are proposing is based on seedlings from the league. That keeps the top teams apart until the final rounds. You are so fixated on kerry that it completely clouds your judgement. You ignore all other points and narrow your focus to kerry. Why??

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 579 - 14/06/2026 22:31:31    2679673

Link

Could be the last time that provincial winners clash before the quarter finals. Some speculation that provincial winners will have home advantage in rounds 1, 2 and 3 next year as they are no longer going direct to the quarters, and HQ are looking to give some reward for provincial winners.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9830 - 15/06/2026 16:57:42    2679981

Link

Replying To legendzxix:  "4 of 6 Munster counties qualified for the All Ireland 16 in the first year of the Tailteann Cup. Facts like that cannot be spoken about for some!"
one of those was as a provincial loser - after getting on the handy side of the munster draw.

As for calls to seed provincial winners - Kerry had enough handy draws in the group stages for the past year.

One year of tough draws for Kerry and your calling for direct entry to q finals again.

You want to go back to the 70's when Kerry just had to play 3 matches to win an all ireland.

This year they have had 2 tough matches to get to a qfinal - not many going to have sympathy for Kerry having to endure 1 year of what everyone else has had to endure for 25 years.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1890 - 15/06/2026 17:24:00    2679996

Link

Replying To legendzxix:  "Could be the last time that provincial winners clash before the quarter finals. Some speculation that provincial winners will have home advantage in rounds 1, 2 and 3 next year as they are no longer going direct to the quarters, and HQ are looking to give some reward for provincial winners."
If that's the case it only suits 1 province.

Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2765 - 15/06/2026 17:36:25    2680003

Link

My predictions.

Kerry v Armagh. Tie of the round and the tie all the other 10 team was hoping for. Kerry with home advantage and the extra day rest to edge it but would be a headline story if defending champions Kerry found themselves out of the championship before the Quarter final.

Mayo v Meath. Huge game for both. Meath looking to prove their All-Ireland semi-final appearance wasn't a flash in the pan. Mayo under simply can't allow themselves to go a 3rd year in a row without reaching the last 8. Home advantage and Meath with injuries has me favouring Mayo in this one

Dublin v Donegal. Dublins proud record of reaching every All-Ireland Quarter-final coming to an end? Depends on which Donegal will turn up the one that lost to Down,Cork or one that hammered Kerry twice I'll go with the latter.

Monaghan v Westmeath a great opportunity for both to reach the last 8. I bet neither seen such opportunity after disappointing league campaigns. Extra time is a possibility here and past experience to allow Monaghan to win

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 4001 - 15/06/2026 19:13:13    2680026

Link

Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Cork have just beaten Donegal in Donegal. Munster football not just one team after all. Cork would be a top 8 team in your system too which you have never mentikned either."
Amazing how it's lost on you that only for the slow move away from prioritising provincial championships that Cork would never have gotten a crack at Donegal under old systems. Louth beating Armagh. All these results are class and it's because teams from every province are getting to play each other sooner in big games .

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8862 - 15/06/2026 20:53:37    2680042

Link

GAA headquarters stated reason for having the first round draw of the All Ireland series held before the provincial finals has been exposed as nonsense by the latest round of fixtures.

We were told the first round draw was held before the provincial finals for logistical reasons, to facilitate the county boards which needed as much time as possible to arrange accommodation, meals etc for their teams at away venues and also to facilitate supporters who might want to arrange overnight accommodation at the arranged venue. Kerry vs Donegal was cited as the best rational reason for this change as Donegal had 2 weeks to arrange things. But now we have Kerry vs Armagh!! A long journey and the same logistics apply but less than one week to arrange things. Gas how the GAA hierarchy can get tied up in knots on their own logic!

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 2141 - 16/06/2026 09:52:25    2680092

Link

Replying To Gaa_lover:  "My predictions.

Kerry v Armagh. Tie of the round and the tie all the other 10 team was hoping for. Kerry with home advantage and the extra day rest to edge it but would be a headline story if defending champions Kerry found themselves out of the championship before the Quarter final.

Mayo v Meath. Huge game for both. Meath looking to prove their All-Ireland semi-final appearance wasn't a flash in the pan. Mayo under simply can't allow themselves to go a 3rd year in a row without reaching the last 8. Home advantage and Meath with injuries has me favouring Mayo in this one

Dublin v Donegal. Dublins proud record of reaching every All-Ireland Quarter-final coming to an end? Depends on which Donegal will turn up the one that lost to Down,Cork or one that hammered Kerry twice I'll go with the latter.

Monaghan v Westmeath a great opportunity for both to reach the last 8. I bet neither seen such opportunity after disappointing league campaigns. Extra time is a possibility here and past experience to allow Monaghan to win"
Was Dublin 2003 losing to Armagh a Quarter Final or earlier round?

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 651 - 16/06/2026 10:47:25    2680109

Link

Replying To PoolSturgeon:  "GAA headquarters stated reason for having the first round draw of the All Ireland series held before the provincial finals has been exposed as nonsense by the latest round of fixtures.

We were told the first round draw was held before the provincial finals for logistical reasons, to facilitate the county boards which needed as much time as possible to arrange accommodation, meals etc for their teams at away venues and also to facilitate supporters who might want to arrange overnight accommodation at the arranged venue. Kerry vs Donegal was cited as the best rational reason for this change as Donegal had 2 weeks to arrange things. But now we have Kerry vs Armagh!! A long journey and the same logistics apply but less than one week to arrange things. Gas how the GAA hierarchy can get tied up in knots on their own logic!"
Yes and no. After the Ulster and Leinster semi finals - the 8 finalists and 8 league qualifiers were known. It was the earliest opportunity to have the draw. It is completely wrong of course to have the draw before the finals. Lessons learned one would expect.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9830 - 16/06/2026 11:27:10    2680121

Link

Replying To TheFlaker:  "Amazing how it's lost on you that only for the slow move away from prioritising provincial championships that Cork would never have gotten a crack at Donegal under old systems. Louth beating Armagh. All these results are class and it's because teams from every province are getting to play each other sooner in big games ."
So you are now saying that Cork wouldnt have gotten to play Donegal under previous systems? Thats just not true. They could have played them under the previous group system. They could have played them under the super 8 system. They could have played them under the back door system. That has been the case since we moved away from the straight knockout system.
The point that you are conveniently missing is that Cork are both runners up in Munster and a top 8 team through NFL seedings now. They earn the right either way. The link remaining allows Louth and WM to celebrate a provincial championship with the standing that it always has had. You are proposing to turn it into a pre league and championship competition. You may not realise it but that's exactly what you are talking about. After all what else could it be if league counts towards AI series and provincial championship doesnt?

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 579 - 16/06/2026 11:36:30    2680126

Link

Replying To Tadhg2020:  "So you are now saying that Cork wouldnt have gotten to play Donegal under previous systems? Thats just not true. They could have played them under the previous group system. They could have played them under the super 8 system. They could have played them under the back door system. That has been the case since we moved away from the straight knockout system.
The point that you are conveniently missing is that Cork are both runners up in Munster and a top 8 team through NFL seedings now. They earn the right either way. The link remaining allows Louth and WM to celebrate a provincial championship with the standing that it always has had. You are proposing to turn it into a pre league and championship competition. You may not realise it but that's exactly what you are talking about. After all what else could it be if league counts towards AI series and provincial championship doesnt?"
You are in favour of a provincial championship system where Cork try and beat Kerry the odd year. And where Roscommon make Connacht a 3 team province. We now have qualifier draws before the provincial finals are played.

Hurling is even worse. 2 active provinces and the Munster teams playing each other over and over. Politics and money is saving the provinces. Nothing else.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8862 - 16/06/2026 11:50:55    2680132

Link

Replying To Tadhg2020:  "So you are now saying that Cork wouldnt have gotten to play Donegal under previous systems? Thats just not true. They could have played them under the previous group system. They could have played them under the super 8 system. They could have played them under the back door system. That has been the case since we moved away from the straight knockout system.
The point that you are conveniently missing is that Cork are both runners up in Munster and a top 8 team through NFL seedings now. They earn the right either way. The link remaining allows Louth and WM to celebrate a provincial championship with the standing that it always has had. You are proposing to turn it into a pre league and championship competition. You may not realise it but that's exactly what you are talking about. After all what else could it be if league counts towards AI series and provincial championship doesnt?"
All of the systems you mention, were arrived at via unequal provincial competitions. THAT is where the unfairness came in. That is what you never address, always referring to history, underdogs day in the sun, etc. balance the system for ALL four, and it's fine, any advantage equally applied, because it been equally earned.

Expertinall (UK) - Posts: 162 - 16/06/2026 12:29:02    2680148

Link