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6 Teams Left In A Hurling May 24Th

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Again my response wasn't published.

Are you saying that the weather must be better in Munster or something? We are operating a an average of 27k and 92% of capacity.
The weather has nothing to do with it. That argument just doesnt stand up to scrutiny.

I repeat that the elephant in the room is the hard cut off point of 31/7. There are plenty of matches. The season is just pushed too far forward in the calender. More games wont solve of leinstes problems."
As regards more games not solving Leinsters problems I disagree. The more times we get to play better teams in Championship games the better our players should become.
Playing League games isnt the same. Wexford won 2 of their last 3 League games against Munster counties, and only lost the other by the puck of a ball. All 3 were away in Munster too.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20199 - 30/06/2026 21:21:08    2683302

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Again my response wasn't published.

Are you saying that the weather must be better in Munster or something? We are operating a an average of 27k and 92% of capacity.
The weather has nothing to do with it. That argument just doesnt stand up to scrutiny.

I repeat that the elephant in the room is the hard cut off point of 31/7. There are plenty of matches. The season is just pushed too far forward in the calender. More games wont solve of leinstes problems."
As regards more games not solving Leinsters problems I disagree. The more times we get to play better teams in Championship games the better our players should become.
Playing League games isnt the same. Wexford won 2 of their last 3 League games against Munster counties, and only lost the other by the puck of a ball. All 3 were away in Munster too, so in theory were harder.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20199 - 30/06/2026 21:21:48    2683303

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Replying To Viking66:  "As regards more games not solving Leinsters problems I disagree. The more times we get to play better teams in Championship games the better our players should become.
Playing League games isnt the same. Wexford won 2 of their last 3 League games against Munster counties, and only lost the other by the puck of a ball. All 3 were away in Munster too."
So you do want to sabotage the Munster championship.
You neatly side stepped your weather argument.....

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 709 - 30/06/2026 22:42:44    2683318

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Replying To Viking66:  "As regards more games not solving Leinsters problems I disagree. The more times we get to play better teams in Championship games the better our players should become.
Playing League games isnt the same. Wexford won 2 of their last 3 League games against Munster counties, and only lost the other by the puck of a ball. All 3 were away in Munster too."
And you can earn the right to play against better teams. Thats how its supposed to work.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 709 - 30/06/2026 22:45:40    2683319

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Replying To Viking66:  "The reason you are getting great gates for matches is that the 2 best teams at the start of the Championship are both in Munster, along with the 2 previous AI winners. When it became apparent that Tipp werent at it again, like all the other years Tipp werent at it their support catered. Likewise Waterford. Even though they are in an AISF there are plenty from Clare debating whether to bother going at all.
When a team isnt going well weather becomes more of a factor. I agree its not the most important factor."
You really love to defy reality. It say there are plenty of games. You say its too cold for you to attend. I say its not too cold for munster hurling fans and you say its because we have better teams. Then you try to belittle and undermine our three of our conties supporters even though Waterford and Clare pretty much sold out their home games and got far better attendances than Wexford did. People in glasshouses shouldn't throw stones. When leinster counties supporters actually put some skin in the game and attend some games you will have some credibility. Until then you are just keyboard warriors and couch potatoes.

And BTW if it really is the cold that's stopping you from attending many of our fans wouldnt attend either. The cold....

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 709 - 30/06/2026 23:01:48    2683322

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Replying To Viking66:  "As regards more games not solving Leinsters problems I disagree. The more times we get to play better teams in Championship games the better our players should become.
Playing League games isnt the same. Wexford won 2 of their last 3 League games against Munster counties, and only lost the other by the puck of a ball. All 3 were away in Munster too, so in theory were harder."
Offaly got to play Cork a few weeks ago.
How did that improve them??

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 723 - 01/07/2026 11:26:54    2683398

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "And you can earn the right to play against better teams. Thats how its supposed to work."
Once you have earned that right as you put it, you dont need as much to play better teams to get better.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20199 - 01/07/2026 11:31:29    2683401

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "So you do want to sabotage the Munster championship.
You neatly side stepped your weather argument....."
I dont want to sabotage the Munster Championship.
A- I want more hurling games later in the season primarily, for the good of the game of hurling.
B- I want the Leinster Championship to be for Leinster counties secondly, for the good of the game in Leinster.
C- I want more championship games between Leinster and Munster counties at all levels, minor to senior, as a supporter who enjoys going to games I think that would be great.
D- with the split season, which I think is the best overall option for club and county players, which most of them wanted themselves in the first place, the best way to achieve all the above, and give Galway what they wanted also which was more games before an AISF, is to run the Provincial Championsips as knockout, including Ulster, as they were for the first 130 odd years they were in existence, and then have a proper AI series, either with a structure like the current Football one, or an AI Round Robin.
E- And likely be, with there being more games in total, the overall income from intercounty hurling games would be higher too.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20199 - 01/07/2026 11:43:07    2683407

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Replying To Seanfan:  "Offaly got to play Cork a few weeks ago.
How did that improve them??"
Their lads will have seen the level they need to get too. On the pitch, and on the sideline. The more games they get to play in like that one the better able they will be to handle them going forwards. They froze badly on the day.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20199 - 01/07/2026 11:45:51    2683409

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Replying To Seanfan:  "Offaly got to play Cork a few weeks ago.
How did that improve them??"
The now know the level the need to get to next summer.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4597 - 01/07/2026 12:23:18    2683424

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "You really love to defy reality. It say there are plenty of games. You say its too cold for you to attend. I say its not too cold for munster hurling fans and you say its because we have better teams. Then you try to belittle and undermine our three of our conties supporters even though Waterford and Clare pretty much sold out their home games and got far better attendances than Wexford did. People in glasshouses shouldn't throw stones. When leinster counties supporters actually put some skin in the game and attend some games you will have some credibility. Until then you are just keyboard warriors and couch potatoes.

And BTW if it really is the cold that's stopping you from attending many of our fans wouldnt attend either. The cold...."
You would be blown away by the number of games that lad attends.

I myself haven't missed a championship game or home match in any competition in over 30 years.

There aren't enough of us in Wexford though, but they do love a good day out in Croke park.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4597 - 01/07/2026 12:26:08    2683426

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "You would be blown away by the number of games that lad attends.

I myself haven't missed a championship game or home match in any competition in over 30 years.

There aren't enough of us in Wexford though, but they do love a good day out in Croke park."
Over a hundred games so far this year Doyler! Nearly all the County Senior Football and Hurling games since Xmas, all bar 3 I think. Most of the u20 games Hurling and Football including a few challenge games, and some of the minor Football and Hurling games. Loads of club games from u10 to minor, alot of the adult League games when they didnt clash with county. A few Good Counsel College games too . A few other college games, mainly Peters.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20199 - 01/07/2026 13:19:12    2683443

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Replying To Viking66:  "I dont want to sabotage the Munster Championship.
A- I want more hurling games later in the season primarily, for the good of the game of hurling.
B- I want the Leinster Championship to be for Leinster counties secondly, for the good of the game in Leinster.
C- I want more championship games between Leinster and Munster counties at all levels, minor to senior, as a supporter who enjoys going to games I think that would be great.
D- with the split season, which I think is the best overall option for club and county players, which most of them wanted themselves in the first place, the best way to achieve all the above, and give Galway what they wanted also which was more games before an AISF, is to run the Provincial Championsips as knockout, including Ulster, as they were for the first 130 odd years they were in existence, and then have a proper AI series, either with a structure like the current Football one, or an AI Round Robin.
E- And likely be, with there being more games in total, the overall income from intercounty hurling games would be higher too."
So you do want to sabotage the Munster Championship.
The RR in Munster is the biggest success story in GAA. It has produced AI Champions every year of its existence, has 92% sell out rate and averages 27k. Its huge.
You cannot achieve what you say you want without sabotaging that.
You want to kick Galway out of leinster yet you want to play teams outside leinster more. Hmm.
You want to weaken leinster but seem to be implying that it will be stronger for it.
Essentially you want to go back to the nineties with a bith of the naughties thrown in. That way you can pretend that everything is rosy in leinster hurling while you wait weeks for your next game after being knocked out of the knockout Championship.

The attendance Munster gets will not transfer to a limerick v wexford game in either GG or WP. We will still get 20k plus at home but your crowd wont increase much.
Why would we want to play you regularly ( apart from KK and Galway)? You dont bring anything to the table. No crowds poor teams etc.
Everything you say there involves us giving and you taking. You offer nothing in return.
Damaging Munster doesnt make hurling better. It has the opposite effect. You need to find a way to make the Leinster RR work for you. Id start with returning to 5. Id start , internally in each county, in pricing and marketing your games at home to ensure much better crowds and atmosphere. Players respond to that. The marketing creates buildup and the crowd helps performance.

I keep saying it. August for The AI semis and finals fixes a lot. It allows the provincial round robins to finish at end of june and knockout quarters , semi and finals after that. The politicians in the association need to find a way to make it work.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 709 - 02/07/2026 12:05:04    2683638

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "You would be blown away by the number of games that lad attends.

I myself haven't missed a championship game or home match in any competition in over 30 years.

There aren't enough of us in Wexford though, but they do love a good day out in Croke park."
He would want to start bringing a few more with him...
Seriously though, im not questioning his love of the game. I am questioning his ideas. Killing the Munster RR is a very negative idea for example and does nothing to improve hurling. So when he says he wants to improve hurling and offers up that its clear that he only wants to improve Wexford.
Thats fine, im okay with that. Its honest. Im honest too. Leinster hurlings problems are for the participating counties to solve. From what I can tell they go far deeper than what change to a system can solve. I work in Offaly and I dont hear any complaints there for example. The system is good. It offers lots of games. The politics need sorting out. August for All irelands.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 709 - 02/07/2026 12:12:47    2683640

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "So you do want to sabotage the Munster Championship.
The RR in Munster is the biggest success story in GAA. It has produced AI Champions every year of its existence, has 92% sell out rate and averages 27k. Its huge.
You cannot achieve what you say you want without sabotaging that.
You want to kick Galway out of leinster yet you want to play teams outside leinster more. Hmm.
You want to weaken leinster but seem to be implying that it will be stronger for it.
Essentially you want to go back to the nineties with a bith of the naughties thrown in. That way you can pretend that everything is rosy in leinster hurling while you wait weeks for your next game after being knocked out of the knockout Championship.

The attendance Munster gets will not transfer to a limerick v wexford game in either GG or WP. We will still get 20k plus at home but your crowd wont increase much.
Why would we want to play you regularly ( apart from KK and Galway)? You dont bring anything to the table. No crowds poor teams etc.
Everything you say there involves us giving and you taking. You offer nothing in return.
Damaging Munster doesnt make hurling better. It has the opposite effect. You need to find a way to make the Leinster RR work for you. Id start with returning to 5. Id start , internally in each county, in pricing and marketing your games at home to ensure much better crowds and atmosphere. Players respond to that. The marketing creates buildup and the crowd helps performance.

I keep saying it. August for The AI semis and finals fixes a lot. It allows the provincial round robins to finish at end of june and knockout quarters , semi and finals after that. The politicians in the association need to find a way to make it work."
You keep going back to money. I'm more concerned with what's happening on the pitch in Championship, and pitches at grassroots level around the country, rather than off it.

Let's start with Munster. In the Round Robin years Limerick have won it 5 times and Cork twice. Only 2 teams have won Munster. In the last 7 years it was knockout, including 2020 and 2021, 3 teams won it, Limerick 3 times, and Cork and Tipp twice. Also in those 7 years all 5 Munster counties reached all ireland finals, and the fewest times was twice, Waterford and Clare. In the Round Robin years Tipp have only played in 2 finals, Clare one, and Waterford none.

So why are you saying the Munster Championship is better with a Round Robin format? Because it makes more money because the best supported teams play more games? Its certainly not better from a competitive point of view, especially for the Munster counties with smaller numbers of top intercounty players. They might catch one of the bigger counties in a knockout game, but they arent going to be able to be as competitive playing mostly week after week.

So overall the Round Robin has made Munster less truly competitive. It favours the counties with the biggest populations generally, as you would expect.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20199 - 02/07/2026 13:14:12    2683660

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "So you do want to sabotage the Munster Championship.
The RR in Munster is the biggest success story in GAA. It has produced AI Champions every year of its existence, has 92% sell out rate and averages 27k. Its huge.
You cannot achieve what you say you want without sabotaging that.
You want to kick Galway out of leinster yet you want to play teams outside leinster more. Hmm.
You want to weaken leinster but seem to be implying that it will be stronger for it.
Essentially you want to go back to the nineties with a bith of the naughties thrown in. That way you can pretend that everything is rosy in leinster hurling while you wait weeks for your next game after being knocked out of the knockout Championship.

The attendance Munster gets will not transfer to a limerick v wexford game in either GG or WP. We will still get 20k plus at home but your crowd wont increase much.
Why would we want to play you regularly ( apart from KK and Galway)? You dont bring anything to the table. No crowds poor teams etc.
Everything you say there involves us giving and you taking. You offer nothing in return.
Damaging Munster doesnt make hurling better. It has the opposite effect. You need to find a way to make the Leinster RR work for you. Id start with returning to 5. Id start , internally in each county, in pricing and marketing your games at home to ensure much better crowds and atmosphere. Players respond to that. The marketing creates buildup and the crowd helps performance.

I keep saying it. August for The AI semis and finals fixes a lot. It allows the provincial round robins to finish at end of june and knockout quarters , semi and finals after that. The politicians in the association need to find a way to make it work."
Moving on to Leinster, the first and most obvious problem with the Round Robin format is that it is capped, so the increased number of games can be played. This means that counties who would be around the same level as some counties in the Leinster Championship no longer can play in it every year, as they used to be able to do under the old system.
The problem with Galway being in it is it means real Leinster counties have even less of a chance of winning Leinster than they used to. Winning a Leinster means nothing to any child in Galway, or any other person in Galway. Ive yet to meet someone from Galway who considers themselves to be a Leinster person.
On the other hand winning a Leinster provides a huge boost to the game of hurling in Dublin, Offaly and Wexford. Last time we won one there was a noticeable uptick in numbers of young lads around the county pucking a ball on the streets and green areas. It really made that much of a difference.
None of us are close to winning an AI right now, so winning a Provincial is probably our realistic ceiling.
Galway only wanted to join Leinster to get some competitive games before an AISF, as they felt they were at a disadvantage coming in cold. Personally I think they were right. If we have a proper AI series, like Football or else an AI round robin, then Galway wouldn't want or need to be playing in Leinster at all. Which would be good for the game in the Leinster counties.
If we did similar for minor and u20 it would provide a similar boost for the Leinster counties. For example Westmeath might well have reached a Leinster minor final or even won it this year. Instead they didnt make the knockout stages at all.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20199 - 02/07/2026 13:35:07    2683667

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "So you do want to sabotage the Munster Championship.
The RR in Munster is the biggest success story in GAA. It has produced AI Champions every year of its existence, has 92% sell out rate and averages 27k. Its huge.
You cannot achieve what you say you want without sabotaging that.
You want to kick Galway out of leinster yet you want to play teams outside leinster more. Hmm.
You want to weaken leinster but seem to be implying that it will be stronger for it.
Essentially you want to go back to the nineties with a bith of the naughties thrown in. That way you can pretend that everything is rosy in leinster hurling while you wait weeks for your next game after being knocked out of the knockout Championship.

The attendance Munster gets will not transfer to a limerick v wexford game in either GG or WP. We will still get 20k plus at home but your crowd wont increase much.
Why would we want to play you regularly ( apart from KK and Galway)? You dont bring anything to the table. No crowds poor teams etc.
Everything you say there involves us giving and you taking. You offer nothing in return.
Damaging Munster doesnt make hurling better. It has the opposite effect. You need to find a way to make the Leinster RR work for you. Id start with returning to 5. Id start , internally in each county, in pricing and marketing your games at home to ensure much better crowds and atmosphere. Players respond to that. The marketing creates buildup and the crowd helps performance.

I keep saying it. August for The AI semis and finals fixes a lot. It allows the provincial round robins to finish at end of june and knockout quarters , semi and finals after that. The politicians in the association need to find a way to make it work."
Lastly as regards raising the standard of hurling around the county an AI series would give the participants the chance of regular games against the top counties in the country. Yes, there will be some beatings dished out, especially in the first few years. But it should provide experience and incentive for the weaker to work harder. Noone likes getting hammered.
An AI series would also raise the profile of hurling nationally, as there would be more games later in the year, and more different match ups.

All in all when you take out the money end of things, I can't think of a single good reason, for the good of hurling as a whole, or for the competitiveness of Munster and Leinster as Championships in their own right, for persisting with the current Provincial Round Robins.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20199 - 02/07/2026 13:41:26    2683669

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "He would want to start bringing a few more with him...
Seriously though, im not questioning his love of the game. I am questioning his ideas. Killing the Munster RR is a very negative idea for example and does nothing to improve hurling. So when he says he wants to improve hurling and offers up that its clear that he only wants to improve Wexford.
Thats fine, im okay with that. Its honest. Im honest too. Leinster hurlings problems are for the participating counties to solve. From what I can tell they go far deeper than what change to a system can solve. I work in Offaly and I dont hear any complaints there for example. The system is good. It offers lots of games. The politics need sorting out. August for All irelands."
I can only fit 4 more in the car, so I bring the 4 kids ;-)

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20199 - 02/07/2026 13:42:55    2683670

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "So you do want to sabotage the Munster Championship.
The RR in Munster is the biggest success story in GAA. It has produced AI Champions every year of its existence, has 92% sell out rate and averages 27k. Its huge.
You cannot achieve what you say you want without sabotaging that.
You want to kick Galway out of leinster yet you want to play teams outside leinster more. Hmm.
You want to weaken leinster but seem to be implying that it will be stronger for it.
Essentially you want to go back to the nineties with a bith of the naughties thrown in. That way you can pretend that everything is rosy in leinster hurling while you wait weeks for your next game after being knocked out of the knockout Championship.

The attendance Munster gets will not transfer to a limerick v wexford game in either GG or WP. We will still get 20k plus at home but your crowd wont increase much.
Why would we want to play you regularly ( apart from KK and Galway)? You dont bring anything to the table. No crowds poor teams etc.
Everything you say there involves us giving and you taking. You offer nothing in return.
Damaging Munster doesnt make hurling better. It has the opposite effect. You need to find a way to make the Leinster RR work for you. Id start with returning to 5. Id start , internally in each county, in pricing and marketing your games at home to ensure much better crowds and atmosphere. Players respond to that. The marketing creates buildup and the crowd helps performance.

I keep saying it. August for The AI semis and finals fixes a lot. It allows the provincial round robins to finish at end of june and knockout quarters , semi and finals after that. The politicians in the association need to find a way to make it work."
This is an excellent read, rare for our media-
Éamon O'Shea: Corkeconomics will not be around forever to save hurling https://share.google/3i5h2MdO1GS1sifzs

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20199 - 02/07/2026 13:50:23    2683671

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Replying To Viking66:  "You keep going back to money. I'm more concerned with what's happening on the pitch in Championship, and pitches at grassroots level around the country, rather than off it.

Let's start with Munster. In the Round Robin years Limerick have won it 5 times and Cork twice. Only 2 teams have won Munster. In the last 7 years it was knockout, including 2020 and 2021, 3 teams won it, Limerick 3 times, and Cork and Tipp twice. Also in those 7 years all 5 Munster counties reached all ireland finals, and the fewest times was twice, Waterford and Clare. In the Round Robin years Tipp have only played in 2 finals, Clare one, and Waterford none.

So why are you saying the Munster Championship is better with a Round Robin format? Because it makes more money because the best supported teams play more games? Its certainly not better from a competitive point of view, especially for the Munster counties with smaller numbers of top intercounty players. They might catch one of the bigger counties in a knockout game, but they arent going to be able to be as competitive playing mostly week after week.

So overall the Round Robin has made Munster less truly competitive. It favours the counties with the biggest populations generally, as you would expect."
Ok I will start with this one. You can ignore attendance all you want and the reasons for same all you want. It doesnt change anything.
Money first- yes money is important. Its very important. In the end everything comes down to money. Thats how the world works. I didnt make it that way but im not naive either. I dont think you are so why do you conveniently push it to one side all the time? Probably because your county doesnt get any of it.
You also conveniently ignore what generates that money. Its the product that is the Munster Championship round robin. 92% capacity last season and consistently up around that. Thats genuine interest and you dismiss it as nothing or easily replaced. It isnt and wont be.
We all play the same amount of games both home and away. Thats part of its huge attraction. I do say its better now precisely for this reason. Its fairer and gives teams a season that they can plan for. Fans too.
Catching one of the big teams in a knockout game as you put it shouldn't be what a Championship is about. If that's what you are looking for you have lost already. Championship is about the best not the luckiest. That can still happen. It happened twice last year and may happen this year yet but its not what Championship is supposed to be about.
Tipperary are not a small county with fewer players. They have a much bigger playing population than most counties. Waterford have the same amount of Senior Clubs as limerick.
As for your last point. Munster was dominated by Tipp and Cork for most of its existence. This system allows teams develop and will see teams rise and fall over time.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 709 - 02/07/2026 15:13:36    2683691

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