Two groups in Leinster, winner of each group play Leinster final
You could easily stream each province to limit the amount of mismatches. Mix of round robin then knockouts.
In Leinster have your top 4 teams based off league placing in group 1, next four in group 2 and bottom 3 in group 3.
Top 2 two from group 1 go to Leinster semi final. 3rd in group 1, top 2 in group 2 and top team in group 3 go to quarter finals - two winners join top 2 in Leinster final.
Easily repeatable in the other provinces too.
I think with all the convolutions and permutations suggested left right and centre they have actually found the right balance with the current format. It will obviously just take a good few years for people to get used to it.
A 16 team round robin to eliminate 4 teams will never capture the general publics interest though.
Ulster needs to form some sort of champions league. Forget about the lesser counties.
But neither would what youâre suggesting. They could have top two only qualify from the groups but that could lead to just as many dead rubber group games and 4 less actual knock out games. I genuinely think that on balance this system is the best they can do. Every single other suggestion has major flaws too.
That hurts my head.
The Munster and Leinster football finals were sad affairs as they highlighted how little preparation both Dublin and Kerry put into them. Thatâs the only reason they were close .Their minds are further down road .
Iâm not sure on Dublin but itâs not a very good Kerry team truth be told.
But they wonât be that open when they play the better teams
Consistency of teams in a series of games certainly seems to be a problem.
Teams putting all their resources into home games also seems to be the way things are going.
Munster is a minefield, I have to admit, but Leinster has become a home win or burst scenario.
Take the Cliffords out and theyâre fairly average
Jack O has to go. Heâs out of ideas. Heâs a dead man walking.
The dream team of Eamon and TomĂĄs incoming.
Do they not have any other managers down there instead of constantly having to repeat old ones?
Or is it is a case managers must have won All Irelands previously?
Iâm lead to believe the system hasnât thrown up an alternative to Jack. Eamon is young still and Tomas is showing promise. Peter didnât exactly work out.
Losing Mark O Connor has been a big blow. Theyâre lacking proper quality in the back line to match the Clifford and SOS, and are a bit threadbare in mid as well. Brought through a lot of players but a lot of samey sort of ones as well.
True dat,a lot of good footballers but no outstanding ones.Not if you want to be winning all Irelandâs.As a certain man from Tyrone used to say they are lucky theyâre in Munster.
Apparently they have unearthed a new batch of forwards on their minor team this year.
Most counties have only breeding for backs, Kerry breed forwards.
Thats the benefit of a big club. You dont need a heap of generational youngsters in one go, you just need one or two gems from each year, and let the rest slide into Junior/other sports. They dont need to be winning all the way up as a result. Keep adding them year on year.
Theyâve invested heavily in an Ulster coach to address that
Iâm enjoying Derek McGraths hurling articles this year.