Ok......... With leitrim leaving the lory meagher it got me wondering. Why dont the GAA ask these counties that have very few hurling clubs amalgamate with neighboring counties for the sake of the game. I realize the county system is sacred but the Normans made the County system in their best interest not in the GAA. Grabted the Leitirm Footballer are competitive so they could be let alone but definitely think some sort of joining with other neighboring counties would be good. think of the guys on the Leitrim team that actually want to play inter county hurling and their team just do not have the numbers.
I'm waiting for a backlash for this comment

Fishermantom (Limerick) - Posts: 569 - 16/05/2013 20:27:36    1385417

would love this,and would love if there could be an "All-Stars" of CR/NR/LM cups take part in Liam McCarthy cup.
but sadly because about 20 county boards have no interest in hurling.sad,but the case.meanwhile the same counties berate kilkenny over their attitude to football.

perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 16/05/2013 21:12:36    1385455

If there was an appetite for anything it could be for something a little less official.

Connaught shield: Galway v Rest of Connaught + Kerry XV
Ulster shield: Antrim v Rest of Ulster XV
Leinster shield: Leinster champion v Leinster non-McCarthy Cup counties XV

As Leitrim have withdrawn anyways, are any decent hurlers in the county free to play for other counties?

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9798 - 16/05/2013 21:38:32    1385468

Well in Regards Hurling...surly a Connacht team could be setup of all counties minus Galway who are a Leinster team in Hurling terms now anyway ;)

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 12122 - 17/05/2013 08:45:08    1385494

Been discussed many times!

Regards,

Snufalufagus....Laochra Gael

Snufalufagus (Dublin) - Posts: 8100 - 17/05/2013 11:42:00    1385579

Something has to be done. half the counties in Ireland with hurlers are intentionally prejudiced in regards to hurling. Hear a fine quote from a South Kerry women that they are too tight to buy the hurls.
Snuf
This question now is very seriou but in relation to your tagline.

Regards yada yada yada
Do you copy and paste it all the time or do you go to the trouble to type it?

Fishermantom (Limerick) - Posts: 569 - 17/05/2013 12:17:14    1385606

I think this is just as realistic an option as splitting counties up...

But some counties have always had an advantage over other counties

Thats probably the way it will always be...

It's never been a level playing field but in modern Ireland there are now other factors that have made it even more difficult

The GAA across the board isnt fair. It's not a level playing field.

I guess that is a reflection of our society in general.

Some will always have it easier than others.

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 17/05/2013 12:33:35    1385617

Even a competition with second string sides from the bigger counties playing against weaker teams would be something. When you consider longfords hurling season this year consists of only 8 matches at most and will end in june at the latest its no wonder the differenc in standard between the better teams. The best months of the year arent used.

Players in the likes of tipp or kilkenny will surely have hurling 10 months a year, when in longford you would be lucky to have hurling 6 months a year and those 6 are january - june when the pitches are in poor condition.

patmcgee (Longford) - Posts: 520 - 17/05/2013 12:42:03    1385619

What about a Christy Ring select competiting in the Munster or Leinster championship?

downhurlingman (Down) - Posts: 50 - 17/05/2013 12:53:57    1385633

downhurlingman
County: Down
Posts: 13
I really like that idea. As The Christy Ring finishes early too they could be like an all star select. Worth discussion at the slightest. With a big sponsor it could easily be trialled. somethin has to be done though. the game is dying in some areas and the heores trying to keep it alive are rowing against the tide.

Fishermantom (Limerick) - Posts: 569 - 17/05/2013 16:19:31    1385795

very hard to get a team together or the Christy Ring side, would entail some amount of travelling for some lads.

Rosineri1 (UK) - Posts: 2099 - 17/05/2013 16:48:09    1385818

down hurler..Christy Ring select competiting in the Munster or Leinster championship?
Probably would hold their own against the limericks of this world but would get mauled by serious sides

beal (Mayo) - Posts: 1388 - 17/05/2013 17:02:29    1385837

downhurlingman
County: Down
What about a Christy Ring select competiting in the Munster or Leinster championship?

Yeah, the fact that the Christy Ring ends so early lends itself to something like this, but its hard to see people getting behind a team of that nature. Its not a team that represents any particular area or region, hard to see fans connecting with such a team, even if they had players from their own county on it. The idea of having provincial sides made up of the best from the Ring/Rackard/Meaghar cups might make more sense, as people might be more inclined to get behind their province. i.e, a hurling person from Fermanagh might be better able to get behind an Ulster team, even if there were no Fermanagh players in the first 15.

But yeah, the basic point remains, when two thirds of the country never have any hope of seeing players from their county contest an All-Ireland semi-final, hurlings potential growth will continue to be stunted

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 17/05/2013 17:27:55    1385866

Well, Galway could always return to Connuaght and Antrim return to Ulster. One of the reasons they moved in the first place was due not to being given a fair second chance.

Galway should represent Connaught in the All-Ireland stage. Antrim should represent Ulster in the All-Ireland stage. Hurling could take influence from Tyrone and Dublin's call for a champions round in football.

In hurling, have a champions round:
Munster champion v Galway or Antrim
Leinster champion v Galway or Antrim

Have the winners of the champions round advance to All-Ireland semi-finals. The two losers drop into the All-Ireland quarter-finals taking on only two qualifiers that would advance to that stage. This would give Galway and Antrim the fairer second chance they were seeking before they joined Leinster.

Now if the above has Galway and Antrim out of the Leinster championship, they'd need competitive games else where. I'd recommend they enter a 5 team tournament separate to the all-ireland with the other 3 teams being made up of Rest of Connuaght/Kerry XV, Rest of Ulster XV and Leinster non-McCarthy XV.

It could be set-up where on one year (Leinster team in Connaught section):
Round 1:
Galway v Leinster non-McCarthy XV

Semi-Finals
Galway/Leinster non-McCarthy XV v Rest of Connuaght/Kerry XV
Antrim v Rest of Ulster XV

The following year (Leinster team in Ulster section):
Round 1:
Antrim v Leinster non-McCarthy XV

Semi-Finals
Galway v Rest of Connuaght/Kerry XV
Antrim/Leinster non-McCarthy XV v Rest of Ulster XV

While this might seem a bit far fetched, it'd return a balance of the latter stage of the All-Ireland series having representatives from all provinces. I don't think Antrim should be scorned when they are doing their best and are the best from their province.

The 5 team tournament would give Galway and Antrim some competitive games while the Munster and Leinster championships are being played. The amalgamated counties would give the better players from the lower tier counties a taste of a competition at a near provincial championship level. The all-ireland championship itself would maintain the traditional county format. I don't see the need for that to change.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9798 - 17/05/2013 18:18:18    1385898

The best amalgamation I can think of from a Mayo perspective would be if their mens senior team was allowed to include some of their senior ladies. Would definitely improve their chances of lifting Sam in September.

festinog (Galway) - Posts: 3154 - 17/05/2013 21:31:01    1386018

I have been to Leitirm many times and have seen much football but no hurling. It must be tough to play hurling in a non-traditional hurling county. I must give credit to the hurlers there in keeping the sliotar going.

mikeyjoe (USA) - Posts: 415 - 18/05/2013 13:17:15    1386123

As a proud Leitrim man, this is the first I've heard of them pulling out, although I was aware of a couple of defeats. Can someone please provide a link to any news stories on the matter? Thanks.

Tacaí Liatroma (Leitrim) - Posts: 1310 - 21/05/2013 14:19:59    1388240

I believe the lower hurling competitions should be run so as to finish at the time of the provincial hurling finals, thereby allowing the finals to be played in either Thurles or Croker in front of decent crowds, on the day of the provincial finals. This would help in promotion of the games in the weaker counties and give the players involved a bit of extra incentive.

Would then love to see some form of divisional sides drawn from the weaker counties being allowed to compete for the McCarthy cup at let's say the quarter final stage. Parameters for selection to these divisional sides would have to be flexible depending on the who/where players are from.

I know there are counties that have divisional sides drawn from lower grades to play in club SFC/SHC, so why not extend the notion to inter-county competition. At the moment, I can't see anyone outside of Cork, Kilkenny and Tipperary winning the McCarthy cup for the next 20 - 25 years.

moylagh (Meath) - Posts: 486 - 21/05/2013 14:57:09    1388272

21/05/2013 14:57:09
moylagh
County: Meath
Posts: 34

1388272
I believe the lower hurling competitions should be run so as to finish at the time of the provincial hurling finals, thereby allowing the finals to be played in either Thurles or Croker in front of decent crowds, on the day of the provincial finals. This would help in promotion of the games in the weaker counties and give the players involved a bit of extra incentive.

Would then love to see some form of divisional sides drawn from the weaker counties being allowed to compete for the McCarthy cup at let's say the quarter final stage. Parameters for selection to these divisional sides would have to be flexible depending on the who/where players are from.

I know there are counties that have divisional sides drawn from lower grades to play in club SFC/SHC, so why not extend the notion to inter-county competition. At the moment, I can't see anyone outside of Cork, Kilkenny and Tipperary winning the McCarthy cup for the next 20 - 25 years.

Super idea. Imagine Connacht minus Galway as a county team. It would give talented hurlers in lesser counties a shot at success and at playing the big boys. I'd continue though to allow the individual counties to enter their own competitions as well.

Imagine if a combined Christy Ring team or Nicky Rackard team or Lory Meagher team entered the All-Ireland championship at some point. Even if the combined Nicky Rackard team or Lory Meagher team was put into an earlier round, you could then have the combined Christy Ring enter at the quarter-finals or whatever.

I'd also like to see the idea of the Lory Meagher or Nicky Rackard or Christy Ring teams allowed to join the All-Ireland race, just like Div 2/3/4 teams got to play in the League playoffs in the days of old. Maybe pair off the Lory Meagher and and Nicky Rackard winners against each other, with the winner to play the Christy Ring winners, and the winner to enter the All-Ireland Liam McCarthy contest.

Tacaí Liatroma (Leitrim) - Posts: 1310 - 21/05/2013 18:06:56    1388500

The manager of the Christy Ring Cup winners could be automatically appointed manager of the CRC combined side & a selector each from the 3 other CRC semi-finalists nominated. That'd be interesting!

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4105 - 21/05/2013 18:40:04    1388522