Gaa split season,killing Meath football since 2011

Wexford must be the best dual county in ireland by percentage of players playing both sports

Ye have a problem for every solution. :grinning:

It will always run into September - so Freshers week will always be an issue for lads in college. Theyā€™ll all still be out Sunday, Monday and and maybe Tuesday anyway so if theyā€™ve to sacrifice Wednesday and Thursday to get tuned in for a game at the weekend so be it. Its better that they are in the country at least in September than in July when they are in America/Ibiza/Santa Ponsa.

@the_man_himself on ā€˜normalā€™ college weeks, Iā€™d say students would rather train at 6.30 than 7.30 as it gives them a chance to be back in College Court or wherever, earlier to change into their AC Milan 1992 kit for whatever rave is on that night. Lectures dont really come into it unless you are doing Biochemical Mathematics or some other complicated course.

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I was told about 80% of players in Wexford are dual, standard for teams to have 10-12 starters in both 1st teams in hurling and football. My club had 12 last year and 1 of 3 exceptions was different goalie so 12 of 14 outfield players the same in 2 codes. Alot of high profile hurlers are excellent footballers with their clubs. Liam Ryan, Simon Donohoe, Matthew Oā€™Hanlon, Rory Oā€™Connor, Mark Fanning, Lee Chin and Aidan Nolan all vital cogs over the last few years for Senior clubs. Hurling would more popular spectator wise i believe the gate receipts the county board get from club championship the hurling would generate about 80% and football 20%.

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Youā€™d imagine an AC Milan 1992 jersey would be a deterrent to getting the shift. It would take a rare breed of young woman to find that attractive. Theyā€™d be far better off in town. The club training top and sporty shorts with pockets in them is becoming an iconic choice of clothing for post county final celebrations or commiserations.

My point about college wasnā€™t linked to the half 6 start. Was more thinking about tradesmen/labourers who might struggle to be back for that time depending where they are working.

For the college students and the price of fuel it might end up costing a lot coming home for training as well.

6.30 is when the underage teams in hurling, football, camogie and ladies football train. There would be uproar in the camp if they were asked to train at a later time.

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Yeah it works well as well if senior players are coaching the underage teams and can train the young lads and then train themselves after it so theyā€™re not in the field every night

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Are ye really saying ye want Club Senior Championships finishing up in August/early September?

Dā€™know, fair play to you. You have sat down and thought it out butā€¦ this is a plan to be administered by a higher order than 32 individual county boards? Itā€™s a one size fits all, but that doesnā€™t work in the real world, unless itā€™s administered from the HQ. I canā€™t see how CP could micro manage county championships.
The split season will work. I would love to see the day there is split season by codes even where dual players/dual clubs can do their own thing without interference from each other.
Many of you worry here about EPL etc, without acknowledging that the greatest competition and threat comes from within depending on whose the stronger code.

How many counties are you talking about where that is going to happen?
Carlow, Kerry and Wexford hurling over so far by 14th Aug. What about it? They are running their championships like I suggest, allowing dual players play.

Douglas are flying underage. No issues there.

Iā€™d say itā€™s about 80/20 interest from players too.

Thereā€™s a load of dual players because thatā€™s just the way it is. I reckon a lot of them could take or leave the football and only play it because the club plays football. Like if there was no club football and it was just hurling Iā€™d say 80% of them would be happy enough.

The hurling is 4 times more popular based on my 80/20 calculations.

Four time All-Ireland winner Gearoid Hegarty with a great piece on The42 lauding the split season. :clap::clap:

ā€˜I think itā€™s great. The split season is brilliant.ā€™

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Not the first time Hago has clamped a forum member

But but but TJ Reid saidā€¦

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To be fair to TJ he is in a massive minority of being an intercounty player and in a very successful club and so heā€™s basically playing year round every year anyway so not the best person to ask for their opinion on the split season anyway IMO

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Was listening to the Wooly podcast with Christy O Connor.

Now I like Christys stuff but like others he seemed baffled as to the different structures in different counties. He was especially taken aback by the knockout championships in Tyrone.

I donā€™t really understand this obsession. Like we have a great system in Tipp with 16 teams, Limerick and Cork seem happy with 12, Waterford are going down to 10. Let everyone look after their own house and it will be all ok.

If Tyrone want to play knockout then let them at it.

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Think club league games are valued to a reasonable level in Tyrone compared to other counties where there treated like challenge games, Niall Morgan was saying that in a interview recently enough.

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Would there be anything to be said for ditching the League altogether?

Instead, start the round robin a bit earlier and play home and away matches with meaningful promotion and relegation.

The League in Football is a brilliant competition and should be the actual championship. Division 1 football home and away starting in April, and finishing mid August after a semi final and final would be cool. Seed it, 1st plays 4th with home advantage etc.

My own crowd have 22 competitive games played at adult level since Feb. Iā€™d say 10 have played more than 16 or 17 of them. 2 hurling left and probably 3 or 4 footballā€¦ 28 games is a lot in 7 months. Some of the younger lads could have another 10 played.

For reference, a junior rugby player would play 20 games (if they had a good run in cups) and most would play 14 or 15 max Iā€™d say