Replying To sponger: "Dublin vs Wicklow / Longford.
Are you having a laugh."
I've said for the last twenty years; Wicklow's focus should be on promotion at senior level and focusing on underage player development. Until such time as we are in Division 2, at a minimum, we shouldn't be worried about the draw for the Leinster championship. Our second priority should be the Tailteann cup after the league. As a county, we need to focus on taking small steps, not thinking that if we beat Longford, we will play Dublin. We may not beat Longford and even if we do, we won't beat Dublin so it is irrelevant in the bigger picture. As I say, I am more interested in the league campaign, gaining promotion to Division 3 which we've done a couple of occasions in the last five years and progressing from there. We have a young team with some good young players who are gaining experience so competing in both the league and the tailteann cup should help them to develop further and move up the ladder.
Replying To GreenandRed: "Provincial winners get a cup for winning. It seems that only in Ulster do they really appreciate the honour of besting their province. Provincials should be completely separated from All Ireland Series, run through the league during break weeks. If some counties choose to take them less seriously that's their decision. Championship can be seeded based on league performance and not skewed to give Ulster a disadvantage after completing the toughest provincial championship. This would also make the leagues more competitive as counties won't have the second chance of reaching a Provincial Final to qualify for All Ireland series, when some provinces are not of an equal standard. How many more 'initiatives' do the GAA need to make the stronger counties stronger and the weaker teams weaker?"
You're right, I'd would run the provincials off as the start of year championship to replace Mc Kenna cup etc. Lesser teams will then take advantage if bigger countries play under par. Then a good league to set up All Ireland series.
Have all preliminary rounds on St Brigid's bank holiday weekend.
Start the provincial quarter finals the next weekend (those that didn't play the week before.
Have all semi finals played by end of February (leaving a week for replays)
Then have all provincial finals on St Patrick's weekend Ulster on Saturday night, Leinster on Sunday night.
First round of Div 3 in the league to start on the Monday.
Div 1 = 2 groups of 6 Div 2 = 2 groups of 6 Div 3 = 1 group of 8
League quarter finals and semi finals as well as relegation playoffs
3up/3down every year
Tha works out as 7-8 matches for most counties and finished with league finals in Mid May.
All Ireland starts in June - 6 groups of three in senior (provincial winners and the two teams that top the league group tables are seeded) - 8 provincial finalists, tailteann winner from previous year and best 9 from league.
Tailteann has 2 groups of 3 and 2 groups of 4 - whoever draws NY and london are in three team groups. Quarter finals, semi finals and final.
Senior group winners into all Ireland q finals - best 4 runner up go to play off for last 2 spots.
All Ireland has 5-6 matches from June bank.hokiday with All Ireland final on August Bank holiday weekend.
Replying To tirawleybaron: "Have all preliminary rounds on St Brigid's bank holiday weekend.
Start the provincial quarter finals the next weekend (those that didn't play the week before.
Have all semi finals played by end of February (leaving a week for replays)
Then have all provincial finals on St Patrick's weekend Ulster on Saturday night, Leinster on Sunday night.
First round of Div 3 in the league to start on the Monday.
Div 1 = 2 groups of 6 Div 2 = 2 groups of 6 Div 3 = 1 group of 8
League quarter finals and semi finals as well as relegation playoffs
3up/3down every year
Tha works out as 7-8 matches for most counties and finished with league finals in Mid May.
All Ireland starts in June - 6 groups of three in senior (provincial winners and the two teams that top the league group tables are seeded) - 8 provincial finalists, tailteann winner from previous year and best 9 from league.
Tailteann has 2 groups of 3 and 2 groups of 4 - whoever draws NY and london are in three team groups. Quarter finals, semi finals and final.
Senior group winners into all Ireland q finals - best 4 runner up go to play off for last 2 spots.
All Ireland has 5-6 matches from June bank.hokiday with All Ireland final on August Bank holiday weekend."
Dov 3 games on a Monday night?
For example what if say Waterford are away to Antrim.
That's 2 days off work/college etc for players to play a league game