2017: Galway won the All-Ireland hurling championship after a spring of Division 1B hurling. 2018: Limerick won the All-Ireland hurling championship after a spring of Division 1B hurling. 2023: Dublin won the All-Ireland football championship after a spring of Division 2 football. Their fellow Division 2 finalists Derry possibly should have joined them. 2024: Division 2 runners-up Armagh have made the All-Ireland final. At the time of writing, Division 2 winners Donegal versus Division 1 Galway is seen by many a a 50:50 game. Is Division 1 football and Division 1A hurling overrated? Are Division 2 football and Division 1B hurling more suited for the right blend of competition and building a squad?
Replying To legendzxix: "2017: Galway won the All-Ireland hurling championship after a spring of Division 1B hurling. 2018: Limerick won the All-Ireland hurling championship after a spring of Division 1B hurling. 2023: Dublin won the All-Ireland football championship after a spring of Division 2 football. Their fellow Division 2 finalists Derry possibly should have joined them. 2024: Division 2 runners-up Armagh have made the All-Ireland final. At the time of writing, Division 2 winners Donegal versus Division 1 Galway is seen by many a a 50:50 game. Is Division 1 football and Division 1A hurling overrated? Are Division 2 football and Division 1B hurling more suited for the right blend of competition and building a squad?"
Replying To legendzxix: "2017: Galway won the All-Ireland hurling championship after a spring of Division 1B hurling. 2018: Limerick won the All-Ireland hurling championship after a spring of Division 1B hurling. 2023: Dublin won the All-Ireland football championship after a spring of Division 2 football. Their fellow Division 2 finalists Derry possibly should have joined them. 2024: Division 2 runners-up Armagh have made the All-Ireland final. At the time of writing, Division 2 winners Donegal versus Division 1 Galway is seen by many a a 50:50 game. Is Division 1 football and Division 1A hurling overrated? Are Division 2 football and Division 1B hurling more suited for the right blend of competition and building a squad?"
Think being in 1a is better for bringing on younger players tbh. As regards the top 9 there were always going to be 3 of them in 1b in any given season, so it's not that surprising that a 1b team would win the AI the odd time. Also a team being in div2 or 1b isn't a reflection of where they are at in a given year, but rather a reflection of where they were at the year before.