National Forum

Hurling - Merging Counties

(Oldest Posts First)


With the massive professionalism development and private funding in IC hurling now for the top tier counties (see the new Tipp development today), would some non traditional hurling counties be open to merging for league & championship just to be able to compete. Say a Mayo-Sligo-Roscommon team or Monaghan-Cavan-Fermanagh for example?

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4678 - 06/11/2025 21:40:13    2643315

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Replying To bad.monkey:  "With the massive professionalism development and private funding in IC hurling now for the top tier counties (see the new Tipp development today), would some non traditional hurling counties be open to merging for league & championship just to be able to compete. Say a Mayo-Sligo-Roscommon team or Monaghan-Cavan-Fermanagh for example?"
Unfortunately the GAA doesn't care about non traditional counties they don't bring in revenue

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2572 - 07/11/2025 13:56:10    2643376

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Replying To Bon:  "Unfortunately the GAA doesn't care about non traditional counties they don't bring in revenue"
I fear you'd be right there Bon; amalgamating neighboring non-traditional counties without any assistance wouldn't change much.

brianb (Kildare) - Posts: 484 - 07/11/2025 14:26:19    2643381

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Replying To Bon:  "Unfortunately the GAA doesn't care about non traditional counties they don't bring in revenue"
Its often the football people in own county who are most hostile.

I knew chap who was hurling chair in an Ulster county and some of them did everything possible to sabotage him.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3807 - 07/11/2025 15:01:57    2643388

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Its often the football people in own county who are most hostile.

I knew chap who was hurling chair in an Ulster county and some of them did everything possible to sabotage him."
That is true, which is really sad considering hurling is infinitely superior to football in every way.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4013 - 07/11/2025 15:25:57    2643392

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Replying To bad.monkey:  "With the massive professionalism development and private funding in IC hurling now for the top tier counties (see the new Tipp development today), would some non traditional hurling counties be open to merging for league & championship just to be able to compete. Say a Mayo-Sligo-Roscommon team or Monaghan-Cavan-Fermanagh for example?"
Merge them for what benefit. Still unlikely to be anywhere near liam mccarthy sides so would it not be better to leave teams grow at their own level

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3850 - 07/11/2025 15:40:10    2643395

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Replying To Bon:  "Unfortunately the GAA doesn't care about non traditional counties they don't bring in revenue"
Why the bitterness? An organisation that has done more good for this country than any other and yet you're still negative.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2439 - 07/11/2025 15:59:32    2643400

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "That is true, which is really sad considering hurling is infinitely superior to football in every way."
That's an opinion. People are entitled to prefer football.

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2439 - 07/11/2025 16:00:43    2643401

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Its often the football people in own county who are most hostile.

I knew chap who was hurling chair in an Ulster county and some of them did everything possible to sabotage him."
Not just Ulster counties Barney. Was it last year or the clear before Mayo CB wouldn't let the hurlers play in McHale Park?

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17407 - 07/11/2025 16:37:16    2643406

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "That is true, which is really sad considering hurling is infinitely superior to football in every way."
This. This smug, sanctimonious attitude might be why some don't fall down and worship at the feet of hurling folk. Such notions! "Hurling is a game for the gods" etc. Like there was never a dour hurling match or cynical play or lads lacking skill who made up for it by being tough hatchet men.

TheBlackDeath (Cavan) - Posts: 82 - 07/11/2025 17:00:22    2643415

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "That is true, which is really sad considering hurling is infinitely superior to football in every way."
Spot on Doyler 100%. Ive seen it here in Kildare over the years .

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2572 - 07/11/2025 17:56:14    2643420

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "That is true, which is really sad considering hurling is infinitely superior to football in every way."
Take the camán from your eyes!

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 214 - 07/11/2025 18:11:39    2643424

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Replying To Viking66:  "Not just Ulster counties Barney. Was it last year or the clear before Mayo CB wouldn't let the hurlers play in McHale Park?"
True.

Dublin hurlers got it too not that far back. Had same set of jerseys for ten years in 70s! True story.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3807 - 07/11/2025 22:10:21    2643443

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Replying To TheBlackDeath:  "This. This smug, sanctimonious attitude might be why some don't fall down and worship at the feet of hurling folk. Such notions! "Hurling is a game for the gods" etc. Like there was never a dour hurling match or cynical play or lads lacking skill who made up for it by being tough hatchet men."
Tell me what the GAA has done to promote Hurling in Cavan so?

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2572 - 07/11/2025 23:00:23    2643450

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Replying To TheBlackDeath:  "This. This smug, sanctimonious attitude might be why some don't fall down and worship at the feet of hurling folk. Such notions! "Hurling is a game for the gods" etc. Like there was never a dour hurling match or cynical play or lads lacking skill who made up for it by being tough hatchet men."
I will admit I am very much a hurling snob. I am aware it is a minority sport. To me it's just far more culturally unique. The true Gaels are dual counties, but that's just my view.

Any decent athlete can get up to speed fairly quickly in football. I just don't think that's the case in hurling.

There's plenty of cynical stuff in hurling of course, but I would rather watch a poor hurling game than the best football game.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4013 - 07/11/2025 23:17:40    2643453

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Hypothetically 2 combined teams entering the preliminary quarter finals against the 3rd placed teams would be the way to go. Realistically not going to happen. No financial return. Lower tier county players are often straight into club championships. The Kerry hurling final is usually the first weekend of August.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9254 - 08/11/2025 09:34:58    2643469

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No one:

Literally no one:

Hurling fan: hUrLiNg iS bEtTeR tHaN fOoTbAlL

RoyalBadger (Meath) - Posts: 575 - 08/11/2025 09:44:44    2643470

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I'm not sure if these grouped counties would work from a supporters point of view.

My suggestion would be that we have an Ulster, Connaught and Leinster team. Any player whose county plays in CR or lower would qualify. Then have some good training sessions and PR around it.

liam500 (Wicklow) - Posts: 219 - 08/11/2025 09:51:00    2643471

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "That is true, which is really sad considering hurling is infinitely superior to football in every way."
Not really. A toddler could score in senior hurling now. Much harder to score in football

alalalalalum (USA) - Posts: 71 - 08/11/2025 11:30:26    2643487

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Replying To liam500:  "I'm not sure if these grouped counties would work from a supporters point of view.

My suggestion would be that we have an Ulster, Connaught and Leinster team. Any player whose county plays in CR or lower would qualify. Then have some good training sessions and PR around it."
Plaudits at least for bringing the thread back on topic. These kind of discussions seem to always descend into the usual childish stuff: "hurling good; football bad" or "football good, hurling bad". So tiresome.

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 2098 - 08/11/2025 12:05:12    2643489

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