Exactly, its great to win the Joe Mc and then have a last 8 game to look forward to. Would Laois or Carlow ever get that far if they were in the Leinster Championship?
They held Galway to six in their first game. They then got beaten by 14, 12 and 15 points respectively in their next three games. I have no doubt but that a properly marketed and on TV Joe McDonagh Cup where theyâre playing quality close games against similar opposition would be better for hurling in the county
Laois putting in a good performance against Tipperary and beating Dublin is exactly my point. They had the confidence from winning all their games to drive on and believe they could beat Dublin
And where will they be this time next year? Like I said, they should at least have all their games at home next year and then should be afforded the opportunity of a play off against the last team in Munster if they are bate. Fuck sake , Limerick didnât win a championship match in 6 odd years before 2013 and I doubt if relegation would have helped their cause in that time
you are spot on , the reason that Laois were able to beat Dublin and reach an all Ireland qf was because of the momentum generated and confidence gained from beating teams of their own level in the Joe McDonagh and the home advantage that accrued from that to allow them have Dublin in their own backyard.
In many ways the present format is ideal for the Joe McDonagh winners. They play teams of their own level and have momentum , home advantage, confidence in a prelim quarter final then.
Plenty will whinge on the yo yo up and down aspect but I think the GAA have got this right. The reality is if the likes of Laois, Carlow, Antrim, Kerry, Antrim , Westmeath find themselves in a competition where they are not competitive, players drop out of the panel during the year or donât make themselves available at all. They have the best of both worlds now, play teams of their own level and a shot at the big time that year as well if they reach the mcdonagh final.
Agree to a degree but he worst team in each provice should play off every year to see who gets relegated. Then we can talk about getting things spot on