Replying To brianb: "I think there should be a relegation playoff between the bottom team in Munster and Leinster. Granted it's likely the Munster team will win out for the next few years but it's not impossible that the bottom leinster team could be better than the bottom Munster team given that Offaly are back and the strides being made in Carlow, Kildare and Laois.
After that - don't forget that the Joe McDonagh cup is very competitive and is part of the All Ireland series. From what I see the standard there is increasing year on year. We need to find an extra week in the season to give a 2 week break between the McDonagh final and the preliminary round.
Apart from those small points the hurling championship is working well and doesn't need much changing."
The link between the Joe McDonagh and the AI series is no more, 2025 was the last year when the Joe McDonagh finalists went through to the PQFs
Replying To brianb: "I think there should be a relegation playoff between the bottom team in Munster and Leinster. Granted it's likely the Munster team will win out for the next few years but it's not impossible that the bottom leinster team could be better than the bottom Munster team given that Offaly are back and the strides being made in Carlow, Kildare and Laois.
After that - don't forget that the Joe McDonagh cup is very competitive and is part of the All Ireland series. From what I see the standard there is increasing year on year. We need to find an extra week in the season to give a 2 week break between the McDonagh final and the preliminary round.
Apart from those small points the hurling championship is working well and doesn't need much changing."
I agree regarding the relegation play-off. It's a total anomaly that relegation effectively only applies to one group in a supposedly balanced structure. It would mean a non-Munster team competing in Munster but so be it.
The McDonagh is no longer part of the All Ireland series and the preliminary quarter finals are gone.
Replying To Tadhg2020: "I note that you haven't listed the leinster championship attendances for the same years. I also note that for the highest of those attendances one of the teams were at home. For the attendances between 19 and 21k both teams travelled. Apart from that the round robin has been a real game changer. Two home games for everyone has meant a massive buy in for each county. Even Waterford, who were at at disadvantage from the start of round robin due to an inadequate stadium, are now buying into the home games. A ticket to Walsh Park this weekend is probably the hottest ticket in country this weekend and there are 2 provincial finals on. Its the closest thing we have to a PL type of atmosphere in gaa and people are buying into it big time. Its a pity there aren't more games or it wasn't over the summer."
I didn't list because they weren't on the Wikipedia page. I would have done it if I could. So what both teams travelled, if it was this year those teams would fill Thurles. Because all have big bandwagons.
Replying To Paull: "And as much as Kildare deserve to play at this level they wont see another Leinster hurling championship until 2028 at the latest. And this time next year we will be saying something similar about one of Carlow ,Laois ,Wexford or Offaly. And also we will be another year into Waterford not getting out of Munster. There has to be a better way."
A bit early to writing Kildare off already isn't it? Kildare can still finish above Offaly, assuming Offaly lose to Kilkenny today and Wexford next week and Kildare lose against Kilkenny next week. Who gets relegated could depend on the final group game, Kildare v Offaly. Where a win for Kildare will move them above Offaly.