I agree with ringo and Marlon. Leave it as it is for the moment. 1B will be some divison next year and great incentive for Wex, Offaly, Laois and Antrim to be having a go off Limerick and Cork. Be at least as competitive as 1A.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 14/08/2013 13:58:29    1461394

omahant
County: USA
To Marlon_JD

Split divisions of 'six in 1A, six in 1B' mean that the team ranked 7th, for example, plays those ranked 8 to 12. In my plan, they would play 1,2,3,10,11,12 - a stronger and more attractive schedule to help improve. But I understand that everyone here thinks my ideas are daft.

Its not that they're daft, and there's no harm in putting things out there to see what people think. Its just that they're a bit convoluted, and a little difficult to understand. So they'd be difficult to follow. And I think that's a problem in general with our competition structures, especially in hurling. I mean, we're all used to the championship now, but if an outsider was looking in, they'd have a hard time figuring out whats going on, especially with the backdoor play-offs. And that's a problem when it comes to getting more people interested in the game. Given the nature of hurling, and the teams that are competitive, and the geographical locations they're in, most competition structures we've seen have consisted of trying to fit a square peg in a round hole, so its not easy. I just think its better to keep things as simple and straightforward as possible.

That said, I don't think anything you've mentioned is as daft as how the league is going to be run next year.

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 14/08/2013 14:55:09    1461458

Nick

Wexford and offaly are not good enough for the top teir, Cork and Limerick are on a different planet compared to either.

freetaker1 (Limerick) - Posts: 758 - 14/08/2013 21:50:02    1461723

You gotta laugh at SOME of the limerick men now, after winning the munster championship all of a sudden they're the elite and can now look down on respected and competitive hurling counties like wexford and offaly. I hasten to add before they comment, that I know they always looked down their nose on Antrim hurling teams going right back to 1994 semi final, when i stood on the hill and I (and others)was as close as i ever was to knocking a fellow GAA supporter out!

Youse are in 1B for a reason and that is youse didnt manage to win the promotion playoffs and i think it is hugely disrespectful to counties who, up until this summer, would have been classed as your equals. I think everyone accepts that the leagues as they stand are probably about right. What maybe needs tweaked though is that the team who finishes top and this is where i do agree that they should have been promoted should just go straight up, theres no need for a promotion play off which realistically is about filling the coffers more anyway.

So leave it as it is, the current league structures benefit hurling in general and not just the so called elite!

bumpernut (Antrim) - Posts: 1852 - 15/08/2013 10:52:48    1461809

Freetaker, Wexford drew with Limerick in the league. Wexford also drew with Dubs in championship. Fair enough, both yourselves and ourselves have had a better championship and I actually fancy Limerick to win it. But different planets, no.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 15/08/2013 12:28:02    1461896

hurlingdub, freetaker1 has issues with Wexford. He's also came out of the woodwork now that Limerick are having a good season! Before that he hadnt been heard of for a few years.

Dont forget we also drew with Clare a month ago, beat Kilkenny in minor and U-21. Underage will bear fruit with games at the top level.

But having said that, I'm happy to fight it out with Limerick and Cork to get up to 1A. I'd make it two up, two down though.

Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 15/08/2013 16:39:00    1462117

freetaker1
Wexford and offaly are not good enough for the top teir, Cork and Limerick are on a different planet compared to either.

A different planet! since when? Offaly are a fine hurling team and Wexford are no push overs either especially with their young lads coming through. You can be certain 1B will be even more competitive than 1A next year with no guarantee's that your interplanetary County will get promoted either.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4961 - 15/08/2013 18:49:58    1462227

bumpernut
County: Antrim
Posts: 558

1461809
You gotta laugh at SOME of the limerick men now, after winning the munster championship all of a sudden they're the elite and can now look down on respected and competitive hurling counties like wexford and offaly. I hasten to add before they comment, that I know they always looked down their nose on Antrim hurling teams going right back to 1994 semi final, when i stood on the hill and I (and others)was as close as i ever was to knocking a fellow GAA supporter out!

Youse are in 1B for a reason and that is youse didnt manage to win the promotion playoffs and i think it is hugely disrespectful to counties who, up until this summer, would have been classed as your equals. I think everyone accepts that the leagues as they stand are probably about right. What maybe needs tweaked though is that the team who finishes top and this is where i do agree that they should have been promoted should just go straight up, theres no need for a promotion play off which realistically is about filling the coffers more anyway.

So leave it as it is, the current league structures benefit hurling in general and not just the so called elite!
Bumpernut, I was not at the game, but I'm sorry that Limerick would hold such bad memories for you! Antrim often speak with dismay of the attitude shown to them by Tipperary fans in 1989, so I'm very sorry that would be the case!

To tackle your other points, I certainly am under no illusions. At the start of the year, I would have said the same to you, I thought Cork and Limerick were good enough to play in the top tier. I also think Offaly and Wexford could be there. I could not have envisaged what has happened this year, but it's happened, and I think it strengthens what I originally thought. I don't think a six team top tier is big enough, 12 would be my preference. Also, it's not sour grapes, but I agree that we should have gone up anyway, without a play-off, as we topped 1B (a play-off is not needed).

As for another comment saying we're a million miles ahead of Wexford and Offaly, we are not. They are both very good hurling teams. We are the strongest of the three right now, but traditionally we'd be on a similar footing.

Treaty_Exile (Limerick) - Posts: 386 - 15/08/2013 19:59:41    1462257

Would agree with you on two up two down pinkie. Otherwise, I'd leave it as it is.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 15/08/2013 20:24:10    1462274

freetaker1 both Offaly and Wexford have won an all Ireland in the last 20 years so would not be so smart and smug, as for your other comment about Clare winning by 27 points on Sunday remember the last semi final ye were in ye were beaten by 17 points.

therealtmo (Tipperary) - Posts: 1292 - 15/08/2013 20:33:30    1462279

Think ye were beaten by something similar not too long ago TMO, just ignore the bile he is posting. I can assure you most Limerick people know this will be a toss of a coin. Also why has no one acknowledged Limerick got promoted three years ago by winning in Clare but the league changed the rules, who says we would not still be in 1A if we had gone up.

Hoover78 (Limerick) - Posts: 865 - 15/08/2013 20:43:27    1462284

Pinkie
Out of the woodwork??, I have forgotten more about Hurling than you will ever know,Im one of those few 1000 thats is at every game in my time travelling up to the north and every other league match's wexford where ones of the worst I have seen, I think you will find the stats back that up as well.
Limerick have lost only 2 games in 3 years in the league, sadly they where finals but how are Wexford doing?? and if you think they are going to beat Cork or Limerick next year then you really have lost touch with reality.
On your snotty comment ,I go down to the pitch to hit a ball around before talking rubbish like you did in your comment , I spend about 10 hours+ a week with a hurley in my hand, I also run a business that is fully decked out in the appropriate colours.

freetaker1 (Limerick) - Posts: 758 - 16/08/2013 09:12:01    1462370

Bumpernut, I was not at the game, but I'm sorry that Limerick would hold such bad memories for you! Antrim often speak with dismay of the attitude shown to them by Tipperary fans in 1989, so I'm very sorry that would be the case!

To tackle your other points, I certainly am under no illusions. At the start of the year, I would have said the same to you, I thought Cork and Limerick were good enough to play in the top tier. I also think Offaly and Wexford could be there. I could not have envisaged what has happened this year, but it's happened, and I think it strengthens what I originally thought. I don't think a six team top tier is big enough, 12 would be my preference. Also, it's not sour grapes, but I agree that we should have gone up anyway, without a play-off, as we topped 1B (a play-off is not needed).

As for another comment saying we're a million miles ahead of Wexford and Offaly, we are not. They are both very good hurling teams. We are the strongest of the three right now, but traditionally we'd be on a similar footing

Treaty,

To be fair my point was mainly directed at freetaker(hence SOME limerick posters) for his arrogance, maybe he succeeded in getting a bite i dunno. As for 1994 it was not a pleasant experience tbh both on and off the field and if im being honest it has probably clouded my view of Limerick a bit but i know i cant tar everyone from the same county with the behaviour of a bunch of eejits. The very same point has been made countless times on this board re groups of supporters from counties including Antrim. I was also at the 89 final v Tipp but my problem then was with Babs and not so much the tipp supporters.

To get back to the post though, I can see why both cork and limerick would prefer to be in the top tier but if we're really serious about promoting hurling beyond the top 8 counties then the status quo has to continue. As others have pointed out both divisions have been extremely competitive and because there are only 5 matches there are no games that are 'dead rubbers' with all teams needing to play to win every game. Again looking at it from the weaker counties perspective the possibility of the all ireland champions coming to belfast/loughgiel and portlaoise will be nothing but good for the games in laois and antrim. Im sure it will attract big crowds(more importantly a lot of kids) to whichever venue they play at.
As has already been pointed out on another thread the ulster council dont give a 'monkeys' about hurling so we need as much assistance as possible from those counties who do to ensure hurling grows rather than just exists in some pockets of the country.

bumpernut (Antrim) - Posts: 1852 - 16/08/2013 12:26:29    1462493