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Replying To TheFlaker: "I usually don't reply to your ramblings but seriously? You post some amount of bad takes on here. This is another. Provincials are rubbish. Down beat Donegal and what's the impact? Nothing. Roscommon win Connacht? So what? Westmeath have a day in the sun? Fair play.
These teams only improve in a better structure when all teams are going full tilt in games versus teams at their own level. Munster is dead as a province. Roscommon are keeping Connacht alive. Leinster has life to it but for how long?" Keep your shirt on there.
Any county that doesn't win many provincial will see a provincial title win as a good thing - regardless of how its set up.
Provincial title mean little to those who win them regularly - only the leg up in the All ireland race keeps them interested
That isn't controversial - Longford and Leitrim did a lot of celebrating a few years back when they collected a FBD league and O Byrne cup.
tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1874 - 10/06/2026 16:25:34
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Replying To tirawleybaron: "Keep your shirt on there.
Any county that doesn't win many provincial will see a provincial title win as a good thing - regardless of how its set up.
Provincial title mean little to those who win them regularly - only the leg up in the All ireland race keeps them interested
That isn't controversial - Longford and Leitrim did a lot of celebrating a few years back when they collected a FBD league and O Byrne cup." You don't even know the point I am making. You just keep on about weaker counties winning the odd trophy. Mentioning FBD leagues now as well. Jesus. Connacht has 3 teams. But 7 take part. Munster has 2 teams. Leinster had one for 15 years more or less. If Dublin restructure it will go back to them and maybe one more team sharing the odd title. Tell me the point in having provincial championships again?
TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8854 - 10/06/2026 16:35:45
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Giving provincial winners the guarantee of 2 home games will be double of provincial runners up being guaranteed 1 home game. I would still lean towards only 1 guaranteed home game for the provincial winners and no such guarantee for the runners up. Up to the powers that be really and the delegates.
The previous format:
Group winners - direct to quarters.
Runners up - home advantage in pre quarters.
3rd place - away from home in the Premier quarters.
4th place - eliminated.
Minor suggested tweaking to current format:
2A winners - direct to quarters. No change.
2A losers - similar to group runners up previously should have home advantage in Round 3. Reward for winning in Round 1.
2B winners - similar to group 3rd place previously should be away in Round 3. Added bit of jeopardy for losing in Round 1.
2B losers - eliminated. No change.
Giving Round 1 winners the guarantee of at least a home game in Round 3 rewards winning in Round 1. It'll be home advantage earned on the field of play just as group runners up had done so previously.
legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9801 - 10/06/2026 18:50:51
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Replying To TheFlaker: "You don't even know the point I am making. You just keep on about weaker counties winning the odd trophy. Mentioning FBD leagues now as well. Jesus. Connacht has 3 teams. But 7 take part. Munster has 2 teams. Leinster had one for 15 years more or less. If Dublin restructure it will go back to them and maybe one more team sharing the odd title. Tell me the point in having provincial championships again?" They don't serve a purpose in my view. But we are stuck with them.
That being the absolute position, then move them to the side and who cares if the usual winners stop caring about them. They guys that don't win often, would be happy enough to start winning them.
tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1874 - 11/06/2026 13:15:11
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Replying To legendzxix: "Whammo and Division 4 counties will disagree but a 16 team knockout playoff would be a good fit.
8 automatically qualified:
Provincial winners (4)
Ulster and Leinster runners up (2)
Defending All Ireland winners (1) - higher league ranked Connacht or Munster runner up could take this spot if the All Ireland winner qualifies through their province.
Tailteann winner (1) - higher league ranked Connacht or Munster runner up could take this spot if the All Ireland winner qualifies through their province.
Connacht and Munster runners up should be guaranteed at least a playoff spot. Ulster and Leinster semi finalists should also be guaranteed at least a playoff spot. The remaining playoff spots going on league ranking and a Tier 3 winner from the previous year. The counties missing out on the playoffs can enter a Tier 3. The counties losing the playoff round can enter Tier 2.
4 winners: Roscommon, Kerry, Armagh and Westmeath.
2 runners-up: Monaghan and Dublin.
1 Tailteann winner: Kildare.
1 All Ireland winner Kerry qualified through Munster as well so Connacht runner up Galway ranked above Cork taking the last automatic spot.
Example playoffs on the Saturday after the Leinster and Ulster finals:
DONEGAL v Down
Wexford v MAYO
CORK v Offaly
Laois v MEATH
LOUTH v Sligo
Clare v DERRY
TYRONE v Carlow
Longford v CAVAN
GAA+ could have the Round 1 draw then on the Saturday evening after the 8 playoffs have been played. All Round 1 games then the following weekend:
Provincial winners (Seed 1) at home to Seed 4.
Seed 2 on league ranking v Seed 3, separate draw for home advantage.
Seed 1: Kerry, Roscommon, Armagh and Westmeath.
Seed 2: Donegal, Mayo, Galway and Meath.
Seed 3: Cork, Dublin, Monaghan and Louth.
Seed 4: Derry, Tyrone, Cavan and Kildare." Your Playoff Rd has 16 teams, with 8 others advancing (so 24 still in the hunt).
Similar to:
3) Prov Final 8 + Rd 2 Qual 16 (+ 8 Rd 1 winners to Rd 3);
4).Prov Champs 4 + Rd 3 Qual 20 (8 Rd 2 losers out);
6) QFs etc.
omahant (USA) - Posts: 3453 - 11/06/2026 13:58:06
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Replying To tirawleybaron: "They don't serve a purpose in my view. But we are stuck with them.
That being the absolute position, then move them to the side and who cares if the usual winners stop caring about them. They guys that don't win often, would be happy enough to start winning them." Great so that was my whole point. Glad we got there.
TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8854 - 11/06/2026 14:05:25
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Replying To Whammo86: " Replying To edu: "Teams in Provincial Finals coming into the A.I series will generally have played 3 games [ranging from 2 to 4</div> whereas some non Provincial Finalists will have played just one. Generally the Provincial Finalists will have played 1-2 games more.
In order to address this imbalance and to get teams knocked out early back playing sooner the following adjustment is applied to the A.I series---
It could be worked with the current number of 16 teams but it works better with 17.
This year that 17th team is Down. [Appropriate ! The 8 Provincial Finalists bypass Round 1 and go directly to Round 2A. The 9 other teams enter at Round 1 . ROUND 1 9 Qualifiers that did not reach Provincial Finals drawn in 3 groups of 3. One Home and one Away game each. Draw takes place after completion of Provincial Semi Finals. Two teams that exited Provincials earliest play in 1st game in each group. Two group winners with best record go to Round 3.[Either best record across the 2 group games or a better option is highest placed in N.F.L.] Other group winner and 3 second placed teams go to Round 2B. ROUND 2A 4 Provincial Winners drawn at home to 4 Provincial Runners Up. 4 Winners to A.I. Q.F 4 Losers to Round 3 ROUND 2B One group Winner and 3 group runners up from Round 1 in two ties. ROUND 3 4 Losers from Round 2A are drawn against two best group winners from Round 1 + two winners from Round 2B QUARTER FINALS 4 Round 2A winners are drawn against Round 3 winners. Now the Tailteann Cup is down a team to 15. So 5 groups of 3. Group winners to Q.F. Group Runners Up [+ New York] to P.Q.F."]Some interesting ideas. I don't think it quite works but it's not bad either. The 3 groups of 3 is messy and overall a touch complicated I'd say as to which round a team is at relative to one another."]To eliminate "messy", I suggest: - List all 9 after drawing sequentially - Team 1 hosts 2; 2 hosts 3 etc....9 hosts 1 - Top 6 of 9 advance, with byes for higher placed - Do similar for Tailteann Cup (List of 15) - Top 11 of 15 advance, 5 byes for higher placed Essentially, it's a Swiss Model.
omahant (USA) - Posts: 3453 - 11/06/2026 14:37:23
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Replying To legendzxix: "Giving provincial winners the guarantee of 2 home games will be double of provincial runners up being guaranteed 1 home game. I would still lean towards only 1 guaranteed home game for the provincial winners and no such guarantee for the runners up. Up to the powers that be really and the delegates.
The previous format:
Group winners - direct to quarters.
Runners up - home advantage in pre quarters.
3rd place - away from home in the Premier quarters.
4th place - eliminated.
Minor suggested tweaking to current format:
2A winners - direct to quarters. No change.
2A losers - similar to group runners up previously should have home advantage in Round 3. Reward for winning in Round 1.
2B winners - similar to group 3rd place previously should be away in Round 3. Added bit of jeopardy for losing in Round 1.
2B losers - eliminated. No change.
Giving Round 1 winners the guarantee of at least a home game in Round 3 rewards winning in Round 1. It'll be home advantage earned on the field of play just as group runners up had done so previously." That's good - better than Lady Luck.
omahant (USA) - Posts: 3453 - 11/06/2026 14:44:16
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Replying To tirawleybaron: "They don't serve a purpose in my view. But we are stuck with them.
That being the absolute position, then move them to the side and who cares if the usual winners stop caring about them. They guys that don't win often, would be happy enough to start winning them." Teams could determine their own level of Prov SFC interest
(progress from the Prov stream is less rewarding, but more of a level playing field for all):
______
1) Prov Prelim & QF Rds (no change)
2) Prov SF 16 & Rd 1 Qual 16 (ALL with back door - latter for 1 more rd & former for 3 more rds)
3) Prov Finals 8 & Rd 2 Qual 16 (Rd 1 Qual & Prov SF losers)
4) Prov Champs 4 Playoffs & Rd 3 Qual 20 (Rd 1 & 2 winners & Prov Final losers)
5) Rd 4 Qual 12 (Rd 3 winners & Prov Champs losers)
6) AI QFs (Prov Champs unbeaten 2 & Rd 4 winners)
7) AI SFs
8) AI Final
KO Rds are:
Rd 2 Qual (8 go out);
Rd 3 Qual (10 go out)
Rd 4 Qual (6 go out);
QFs, SF, F (4,2,1 go out).
______
- Only 2 teams advance directly to 'AI QFs' (2 unbeaten Prov Champs);
- 2 Prov Champ losers to 'AI Last 14';
- 4 Prov Final losers to 'AI Last 24'; and
- 13 Prov QFs [win or lose, ALL play in 'AI Last 32' (so extra Uls/Lein Rd is neutralised)].
omahant (USA) - Posts: 3453 - 11/06/2026 14:57:13
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Why not end the debate with this:
TWO OPTIONS:
OPTION ONE
✓ Two league tiers of 16
✓ Prov KO ties, based on prior Autumn Draw, 'double as league ties' (all 4 Prov Rds, intra-tier);
any tier crossover ties (Tier 1v2) are Prov KO only
✓ Play Prov Prelim & QF Rds early (Feb, 1st half); but defer SFs (Apr, end) & Finals (May, mid 2 wks)
✓ After Prov QF Rd, draw '4 groups of 4' per tier
(from 4 seeded pots of 4)
✓ 12-match Regular Season - a URC-like schedule, less* 'intra-group' ties - i.e. play the 'crossover' 12 - with all 'intra-tier' Prov KO ties included in the 12
* Groups reduce the high 16-team 'all plays all' match count to the desired quantity in each tier
✓ Limit each group to 'one Prov SF team, per province' (this way, all 16 'then possible' Prov Finals - played over 2 weeks in May - 'cross over')
✓ Avoid drawing to the same group, both teams in any Prov Prelim, Prov QF or 'Pre-selected' league tie, to ensure these ties have also 'crossed over'
(all played pre-draw, per the AILC Calendar below)
✓ Rank teams 1-16 & 17-32, based on 12-match Swiss model/ partial round robin, 16-team tables, prior to a 'three-tier' AIC for Sam, Shield & Plate
✓ Teams '1 & 17' win "League 1" or "League 2"
✓ Top 8 enter AI Sam 'Aussie AFL-style Playoffs';
9-20 participate in the middle-tier AI Shield KO;
21-28 contest an AI Plate KO (or Tailteann Cup); &
29-32 are eliminated
✓ Each Prov Champ's AIC tier eligibility is also based solely on their most recent League ranking
(no Sam berth guarantee)
✓ 'Shield QF 8' compete in the next Tier 1 League,
with '2, 3 or 4 teams' newly promoted & relegated
[after Prelim QFs: 11,12,13,14 host 20,19,16,15; &
QFs: 9,10,17,18 host PQF 'reverse seed' winners].
______
Or, alternatively:
OPTION TWO
10-match Regular Season - similar to "Option One" - with the following changes:
✓ After Prov QFs, draw groups of 6, 5 & 5 per tier
✓ 10-match schedule (6 v both 5s; and each 5 v own round-robin group), with all intra-tier Prov KO ties 'most likely' included in the 10
✓ To optimise this 'likelihood', split each Tier 1 'Prov-specific, Prov SF set' in the draw, as follows:
Draw '3 of a **4-team SF set' to 'one Group of 5';
'3 of a 2nd **4-team set' to 'other Group of 5'; &
'1 SF team from each province' to the 'Group of 6',
before completing groups with remaining teams.
[i.e. to target avoidance of Prov KO ties between 'two Group of 6 teams', or 'one from each Group of 5', as they would not 'double up' as league ties].
** If unavailable, draw '2 of a 3-team SF set' instead.
______
AILC CALENDAR
(only selected weeks shown below)
Week Activity
-2 (mid Jan) Start of '2-3 game' Pre-Season
0 (end of Jan) End of Pre-Season Warm-Up
1 (start of Feb) 4 Prov Prelim Rd ties; and up to
12 pre-selected, pre-group draw,
'cross-province, league ties'
2 13 Prov QF Rd ties; and up to
3 pre-selected, pre-group draw,
'cross-province, league ties'
2 (after QF Rd) AILC Draw (2 tiers of 4x4 or 6,5,5)
2 (after Draw) Add 'Week 1/2 results' to tables
3 Bye Week
4 (end of Feb) 3rd Regular Season Match Week
13 (end of Apr) Match Week includes 8 Prov SFs
15 & 16 Match Weeks include 4 Prov Finals
20 Last Regular Season Match Week
21 (end of June) Bye Week
22 AI Sam ^PSFs/PQFs, Shield PQFs & Plate QFs
23 AI Sam QFs & AI Shield QFs
24 AI Plate SFs
25 AI Sam SFs & AI Shield SFs
26 (end of July) AI Plate Final
27 (start of Aug) AI Sam Final & AI Shield Final
^ Two Sam Prelim SF ties are 'double elimination' (with winners to Sam SFs & losers to Sam QFs).
Across three tiers, all 25 other ties are AIC KO.
NOTE - Over 27 regular/ post season Calendar Weeks, each inter-county team plays:
12 (or 10) 'staggered' regular season games;
a likely '0 to 2' tier-crossover Prov KO games; and
'0 to 4' AIC/post season games, with remaining
'inactive weeks' sufficient for periodic rest.
______
omahant (USA) - Posts: 3453 - 11/06/2026 15:10:27
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Replying To omahant: "Why not end the debate with this:
TWO OPTIONS:
OPTION ONE
✓ Two league tiers of 16
✓ Prov KO ties, based on prior Autumn Draw, 'double as league ties' (all 4 Prov Rds, intra-tier);
any tier crossover ties (Tier 1v2) are Prov KO only
✓ Play Prov Prelim & QF Rds early (Feb, 1st half); but defer SFs (Apr, end) & Finals (May, mid 2 wks)
✓ After Prov QF Rd, draw '4 groups of 4' per tier
(from 4 seeded pots of 4)
✓ 12-match Regular Season - a URC-like schedule, less* 'intra-group' ties - i.e. play the 'crossover' 12 - with all 'intra-tier' Prov KO ties included in the 12
* Groups reduce the high 16-team 'all plays all' match count to the desired quantity in each tier
✓ Limit each group to 'one Prov SF team, per province' (this way, all 16 'then possible' Prov Finals - played over 2 weeks in May - 'cross over')
✓ Avoid drawing to the same group, both teams in any Prov Prelim, Prov QF or 'Pre-selected' league tie, to ensure these ties have also 'crossed over'
(all played pre-draw, per the AILC Calendar below)
✓ Rank teams 1-16 & 17-32, based on 12-match Swiss model/ partial round robin, 16-team tables, prior to a 'three-tier' AIC for Sam, Shield & Plate
✓ Teams '1 & 17' win "League 1" or "League 2"
✓ Top 8 enter AI Sam 'Aussie AFL-style Playoffs';
9-20 participate in the middle-tier AI Shield KO;
21-28 contest an AI Plate KO (or Tailteann Cup); &
29-32 are eliminated
✓ Each Prov Champ's AIC tier eligibility is also based solely on their most recent League ranking
(no Sam berth guarantee)
✓ 'Shield QF 8' compete in the next Tier 1 League,
with '2, 3 or 4 teams' newly promoted & relegated
[after Prelim QFs: 11,12,13,14 host 20,19,16,15; &
QFs: 9,10,17,18 host PQF 'reverse seed' winners .
______
Or, alternatively:
OPTION TWO
10-match Regular Season - similar to "Option One" - with the following changes:
✓ After Prov QFs, draw groups of 6, 5 & 5 per tier
✓ 10-match schedule (6 v both 5s; and each 5 v own round-robin group), with all intra-tier Prov KO ties 'most likely' included in the 10
✓ To optimise this 'likelihood', split each Tier 1 'Prov-specific, Prov SF set' in the draw, as follows:
Draw '3 of a **4-team SF set' to 'one Group of 5';
'3 of a 2nd **4-team set' to 'other Group of 5'; &
'1 SF team from each province' to the 'Group of 6',
before completing groups with remaining teams.
[i.e. to target avoidance of Prov KO ties between 'two Group of 6 teams', or 'one from each Group of 5', as they would not 'double up' as league ties].
** If unavailable, draw '2 of a 3-team SF set' instead.
______
AILC CALENDAR
(only selected weeks shown below)
Week Activity
-2 (mid Jan) Start of '2-3 game' Pre-Season
0 (end of Jan) End of Pre-Season Warm-Up
1 (start of Feb) 4 Prov Prelim Rd ties; and up to
12 pre-selected, pre-group draw,
'cross-province, league ties'
2 13 Prov QF Rd ties; and up to
3 pre-selected, pre-group draw,
'cross-province, league ties'
2 (after QF Rd) AILC Draw (2 tiers of 4x4 or 6,5,5)
2 (after Draw) Add 'Week 1/2 results' to tables
3 Bye Week
4 (end of Feb) 3rd Regular Season Match Week
13 (end of Apr) Match Week includes 8 Prov SFs
15 & 16 Match Weeks include 4 Prov Finals
20 Last Regular Season Match Week
21 (end of June) Bye Week
22 AI Sam ^PSFs/PQFs, Shield PQFs & Plate QFs
23 AI Sam QFs & AI Shield QFs
24 AI Plate SFs
25 AI Sam SFs & AI Shield SFs
26 (end of July) AI Plate Final
27 (start of Aug) AI Sam Final & AI Shield Final
^ Two Sam Prelim SF ties are 'double elimination' (with winners to Sam SFs & losers to Sam QFs).
Across three tiers, all 25 other ties are AIC KO.
NOTE - Over 27 regular/ post season Calendar Weeks, each inter-county team plays:
12 (or 10) 'staggered' regular season games;
a likely '0 to 2' tier-crossover Prov KO games; and
'0 to 4' AIC/post season games, with remaining
'inactive weeks' sufficient for periodic rest.
______"]Head reels.......
Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 636 - 11/06/2026 16:41:12
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At the end of the day - if the main topic of change is a partial Round 1 draw and home advantage in the first three rounds, there's isn't too much wrong with the new format.
The lack of equity across provinces is what it is for obvious reasons. Ulster and Leinster delegates either vote for change or they are accepting the current state of play.
legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9801 - 11/06/2026 18:24:55
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Replying To omahant: "Why not end the debate with this:
TWO OPTIONS:
OPTION ONE
✓ Two league tiers of 16
✓ Prov KO ties, based on prior Autumn Draw, 'double as league ties' (all 4 Prov Rds, intra-tier);
any tier crossover ties (Tier 1v2) are Prov KO only
✓ Play Prov Prelim & QF Rds early (Feb, 1st half); but defer SFs (Apr, end) & Finals (May, mid 2 wks)
✓ After Prov QF Rd, draw '4 groups of 4' per tier
(from 4 seeded pots of 4)
✓ 12-match Regular Season - a URC-like schedule, less* 'intra-group' ties - i.e. play the 'crossover' 12 - with all 'intra-tier' Prov KO ties included in the 12
* Groups reduce the high 16-team 'all plays all' match count to the desired quantity in each tier
✓ Limit each group to 'one Prov SF team, per province' (this way, all 16 'then possible' Prov Finals - played over 2 weeks in May - 'cross over')
✓ Avoid drawing to the same group, both teams in any Prov Prelim, Prov QF or 'Pre-selected' league tie, to ensure these ties have also 'crossed over'
(all played pre-draw, per the AILC Calendar below)
✓ Rank teams 1-16 & 17-32, based on 12-match Swiss model/ partial round robin, 16-team tables, prior to a 'three-tier' AIC for Sam, Shield & Plate
✓ Teams '1 & 17' win "League 1" or "League 2"
✓ Top 8 enter AI Sam 'Aussie AFL-style Playoffs';
9-20 participate in the middle-tier AI Shield KO;
21-28 contest an AI Plate KO (or Tailteann Cup); &
29-32 are eliminated
✓ Each Prov Champ's AIC tier eligibility is also based solely on their most recent League ranking
(no Sam berth guarantee)
✓ 'Shield QF 8' compete in the next Tier 1 League,
with '2, 3 or 4 teams' newly promoted & relegated
[after Prelim QFs: 11,12,13,14 host 20,19,16,15; &
QFs: 9,10,17,18 host PQF 'reverse seed' winners .
______
Or, alternatively:
OPTION TWO
10-match Regular Season - similar to "Option One" - with the following changes:
✓ After Prov QFs, draw groups of 6, 5 & 5 per tier
✓ 10-match schedule (6 v both 5s; and each 5 v own round-robin group), with all intra-tier Prov KO ties 'most likely' included in the 10
✓ To optimise this 'likelihood', split each Tier 1 'Prov-specific, Prov SF set' in the draw, as follows:
Draw '3 of a **4-team SF set' to 'one Group of 5';
'3 of a 2nd **4-team set' to 'other Group of 5'; &
'1 SF team from each province' to the 'Group of 6',
before completing groups with remaining teams.
[i.e. to target avoidance of Prov KO ties between 'two Group of 6 teams', or 'one from each Group of 5', as they would not 'double up' as league ties].
** If unavailable, draw '2 of a 3-team SF set' instead.
______
AILC CALENDAR
(only selected weeks shown below)
Week Activity
-2 (mid Jan) Start of '2-3 game' Pre-Season
0 (end of Jan) End of Pre-Season Warm-Up
1 (start of Feb) 4 Prov Prelim Rd ties; and up to
12 pre-selected, pre-group draw,
'cross-province, league ties'
2 13 Prov QF Rd ties; and up to
3 pre-selected, pre-group draw,
'cross-province, league ties'
2 (after QF Rd) AILC Draw (2 tiers of 4x4 or 6,5,5)
2 (after Draw) Add 'Week 1/2 results' to tables
3 Bye Week
4 (end of Feb) 3rd Regular Season Match Week
13 (end of Apr) Match Week includes 8 Prov SFs
15 & 16 Match Weeks include 4 Prov Finals
20 Last Regular Season Match Week
21 (end of June) Bye Week
22 AI Sam ^PSFs/PQFs, Shield PQFs & Plate QFs
23 AI Sam QFs & AI Shield QFs
24 AI Plate SFs
25 AI Sam SFs & AI Shield SFs
26 (end of July) AI Plate Final
27 (start of Aug) AI Sam Final & AI Shield Final
^ Two Sam Prelim SF ties are 'double elimination' (with winners to Sam SFs & losers to Sam QFs).
Across three tiers, all 25 other ties are AIC KO.
NOTE - Over 27 regular/ post season Calendar Weeks, each inter-county team plays:
12 (or 10) 'staggered' regular season games;
a likely '0 to 2' tier-crossover Prov KO games; and
'0 to 4' AIC/post season games, with remaining
'inactive weeks' sufficient for periodic rest.
______"]Not wise nor anywhere near it.
Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2731 - 11/06/2026 21:16:10
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Replying To legendzxix: "At the end of the day - if the main topic of change is a partial Round 1 draw and home advantage in the first three rounds, there's isn't too much wrong with the new format.
The lack of equity across provinces is what it is for obvious reasons. Ulster and Leinster delegates either vote for change or they are accepting the current state of play." More to your liking, I think -
To neutralise Prov imbalance (based on old Qualifiers):
1) Prov Prelim & QF Rds (no change)
2) Prov SF 16 & Rd 1 Qual 16 (ALL with back door - latter for 1 more rd & former for 3 more rds)
3) Prov Finals 8 & Rd 2 Qual 16 (Rd 1 Qual & Prov SF losers)
4) Prov Champs 4 Playoffs & Rd 3 Qual 20 (Rd 1 & 2 winners & Prov Final losers)
5) Rd 4 Qual 12 (Rd 3 winners & Prov Champs losers)
6) AI QFs (Prov Champs unbeaten 2 & Rd 4 winners)
7) AI SFs
8) AI Final
KO Rds are:
Rd 2 Qual (8 go out);
Rd 3 Qual (10 go out)
Rd 4 Qual (6 go out);
QFs, SF, F (4,2,1 go out).
2 unbeaten Prov Champs to AI QFs;
2 beaten Prov Champs to AI 'Last 14';
4 beaten in Prov Finals to AI 'Last 24';
From any Prov QF, win or lose, to AI 'Last 32'.
omahant (USA) - Posts: 3453 - 11/06/2026 22:24:05
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Replying To legendzxix: "At the end of the day - if the main topic of change is a partial Round 1 draw and home advantage in the first three rounds, there's isn't too much wrong with the new format.
The lack of equity across provinces is what it is for obvious reasons. Ulster and Leinster delegates either vote for change or they are accepting the current state of play." Rumbles of discontent from Clare about the Munster Championship seeding system, maybe the comfy wee 'arrangement' will have to be scrutinized further, and the perks unfairly gained, by it too.
Expertinall (UK) - Posts: 147 - 11/06/2026 22:51:50
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Replying To Expertinall: "So number of games to win a provincial is irrelevant? All Ireland would quickly lose its gloss, and the league would become the major prize to win, fairer and better competition, and everyone treated the same." With my idea based on Old Qualifiers -
i.e. Prov SF 16 & 1st Rd Qual 16 etc -
each stream length 'exclusively' to the AI QFs is the same -
win Prov SF, F & Playoff Rds (3 games), or
1st, 3rd & 4th Rd Quals (3 games), or
with a loss, any other 3-win combo
(i.e. Rds 2,3,4; or SF,3,4; or SF,F,4).
While the Prov stream is tougher to navigate, teams have the safety net of a Qual berth after a loss.
omahant (USA) - Posts: 3453 - 11/06/2026 23:19:25
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Replying To Expertinall: "So number of games to win a provincial is irrelevant? All Ireland would quickly lose its gloss, and the league would become the major prize to win, fairer and better competition, and everyone treated the same." With my idea based on Old Qualifiers -
i.e. Prov SF 16 & 1st Rd Qual 16 etc -
each stream length 'exclusively' to the AI QFs is the same -
win Prov SF, F & Playoff Rds (3 games), or
1st, 3rd & 4th Rd Quals (3 games), or
with a loss, any other 3-win combo
(i.e. Rds 2,3,4; or SF,3,4; or SF,F,4).
While the Prov stream is tougher to navigate, teams have the safety net of a 'back door' Qual berth after a loss.
omahant (USA) - Posts: 3453 - 11/06/2026 23:23:50
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