"Our league structure needs oxygen" - Sheedy
March 10, 2025
Mark Rodgers of Clare in action against Cork ©INPHO/James Lawlor
Former Tipperary manager Liam Sheedy believes the format for Division 1 of the Allianz Hurling League this season hasn’t served to raise the bar with regards competition.
There were a number of one-sided encounters in the league top tier over the weekend, including yesterday’s clash in Ennis which saw Cork defeating All-Ireland champions Clare by 18 points ahead of the two teams’ Munster SHC meeting on April 20th at the same venue.
Speaking on RTE’s Allianz League Sunday programme last night, Sheedy feels that the tight calendar for inter-county teams has had an impact on league games.
"You can probably count three or four matches where you have a real level of intensity and where you really could have said, 'God, that was a real spectacle'," said the two-time All-Ireland winning boss.
"The matches over the weekend – Tipperary won by nine, Limerick won by 12 – and watching the match, there was never anything other than a Limerick victory, and obviously Cork won by 18.
Liam Sheedy thinks this year's new hurling Division 1 format has so far failed to raise the level of competition 📺 Watch Allianz League Sunday on @RTE2 and @RTEPlayer now #AllianzLeagues #GAA pic.twitter.com/S94iX5bOgr
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) March 9, 2025
"With all that's at stake, I don't see it transferring through because I think each team is trying to balance getting ready for championship. The most important date in all of their calendars is the 20th of April.
"I think teams are watching, 'do we want to be in a league final? Is that going to allow us to be ready for the match in two weeks' time?' Because if you qualify for the league final and you don't come out of your provincial championship, you'll be seen as a failure.'
"It's really hard to balance. They've shortened the window. They're training in December, and you've got to be ready for April, and it's all very, very narrow.
"I think we've got to open it up a little bit. I think our league structure needs oxygen, and it's not getting enough oxygen."
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