I don't think you'll find a team in Ireland who would show up on provincial final day to give anything but their absolute best so that they can lift a trophy, put their name in history and confidently step towards the latter stages of the AI with provincial glory giving them a swagger. This is all a bit of a non issue in my opinion.
Replying To GreenandRed: "They should play provincials during break weeks of the league with no qualifying or seeding basis from provincials for Tailteann or All Ireland. It's daft having Provincial Finalist seedings based on reaching a final but there are different levels and number of teams per province. Seed the All Ireland solely on league position and Tailteann Cup winners from previous year. Or go back to 4 provincial winners getting a bye to quarter final. Have knockout rounds from remaining 12 to get to quarter final, provincial losers bye to quarter final playoff. In 2025 any provincial finalists taking their eye off winning their province, by looking at potential group opponents, aren't confident and focussed on going far in the All Ireland Series. I think very few teams think that way but plenty of supporters on forums can look for negatives when there's loads of positives when confidence is high."
Next season looks set to be dafter! The Round 1 draw will be provincial finalists drawn against league qualifiers. It could be provincial winners against this year's seed 3s and provincial runners up getting would have been this year's seed 4s.
Replying To omahant: "Given the strength of 3rd seeds, splitting Prov Finalists into 1st & 2nd seeds doesn't seem to have much value.
Why not just give 1st seeds to the higher '4 of 8' Prov Finalists based on the league - i e. Mayo, Kerry, Galway & Donegal."
Nah. But i would use the league placing for seeding out.
Do it as follows in future.
Pot 3 and pot 4 teams are drawn out into four groups.
Then pot 2 is beaten provincial finalists.
Then provincial winners are ranked 1-4 depending on league position. Top provincial team gets to pick which group to go into, then 2nd and 3rd with repeat of provincial finals avoided.
Adds craic to draw, incentive to finish as high up league as possible and give provincial chship extra kudos.
Replying To WanPintWin: "You have all the answers. I think they should have the draw after the provincial finals, but it's not the biggest issue in the world. As sporting organisations go, the GAA is incredibly well run. The amount of moving parts from grassroots all the way up to national level is incredible. Have they made mistakes? Plenty. Anyone trying to run an organisation of that scale and deal with challenges which are often external, is going to make mistakes. It has been a massive success story, and as an amateur sporting organisation, it has achieved an incredible amount. We have sports which are so intertwined with their communities. I'm sure you would have done a better job though."
Replying To WanPintWin: "You have all the answers. I think they should have the draw after the provincial finals, but it's not the biggest issue in the world. As sporting organisations go, the GAA is incredibly well run. The amount of moving parts from grassroots all the way up to national level is incredible. Have they made mistakes? Plenty. Anyone trying to run an organisation of that scale and deal with challenges which are often external, is going to make mistakes. It has been a massive success story, and as an amateur sporting organisation, it has achieved an incredible amount. We have sports which are so intertwined with their communities. I'm sure you would have done a better job though."
Replying To Breffni40: ""Imagine the motivation for Donegal v Armagh if winner knew they'd end up in a group with Galway, Dublin and Derry and loser ended up in with Louth, Roscommon and Cavan. This is a distinct possibility and GAA thereby have again weakened another great product."
What exactly is the implication here? Your motivation to win Ulster shouldn't be conditional"
Well you haven't to worry about winning Ulster in caavan anyway so you can keep saving the pennies. Having group draws before provincial finals is just plain bonkers.