WEXFORD LEGEND DAMIEN Fitzhenry has said that relegation from the Leinster hurling championship would be a huge blow to the sport in either Dublin or Offaly, and that the new format “makes no real sense”.
As things stand, the counties are set to meet in Parnell Park on Sunday with the loser on the brink of relegation to the Joe McDonagh Cup next season.
In most cases, the new provincial format will see the winner of the second-tier competition automatically promoted into the Leinster championship in their place — unless Kerry win, in which case they face a promotion/relegation play-off against the bottom side in the Munster championship.
Having automatic relegation in Leinster, but not in Munster, doesn’t add up, according to Fitzhenry.
And he pointed to Dublin’s potential relegation, despite losing by just two points in both their opening games, as an obvious flaw in the new format.
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“There’s no real sense to relegating a team really,” he told The42 at the launch of the Bord Gáis Energy GAA Legends Tour in Croke Park. “You’re trying to bring on hurling and you’re trying to get counties playing more.
“You have an unlucky run, similar to Dublin, who very easily could have beaten Kilkenny and very easily could have beaten Wexford. They’re staring relegation now in the face, probably along with Offaly. So what’s that going to do to hurling within Dublin?
“The Dublin team themselves, Pat Gilroy has brought them on leaps and bounds this year with Anthony Cunningham. If you’re playing on that team and you’re saying, ‘We were so close to beating Kilkenny, we were so close to beating Wexford, and now we’ve to go out and pick it up again. If we don’t, we’re going to end up relegated.’ It doesn’t really make much sense to be honest.
“Then when you go to another province [Munster], you can just hurl away and you can just lose all your games and nothing will happen, so it doesn’t add up really.”
Fitzhenry was speaking at the launch of the Bord Gáis Energy GAA Legends Tour. Ramsey Cardy / SPORTSFILE
Ramsey Cardy / SPORTSFILE / SPORTSFILE
In the main, however, Fitzhenry is a fan of the new round-robin system and although he has concerns about fixture congestion, the two-time All-Star feels that the new format will prove to be a success.
“They’re looking at change. For change to happen, they have to try things out. This is a trial to see what way it works out. If they can tweak it some way that teams won’t be playing four weeks in a row, it would have to be a help for teams.
“It’s good for supporters, getting plenty of games, going to matches. It’s home and away basis and it’s good for the teams to get games at home.
“In the long run, I think it could be good but with a little few tweaks maybe along the way,” he said.
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Relegating Dublin or Offaly from Leinster championship makes 'no real sense'
WEXFORD LEGEND DAMIEN Fitzhenry has said that relegation from the Leinster hurling championship would be a huge blow to the sport in either Dublin or Offaly, and that the new format “makes no real sense”.
As things stand, the counties are set to meet in Parnell Park on Sunday with the loser on the brink of relegation to the Joe McDonagh Cup next season.
In most cases, the new provincial format will see the winner of the second-tier competition automatically promoted into the Leinster championship in their place — unless Kerry win, in which case they face a promotion/relegation play-off against the bottom side in the Munster championship.
Having automatic relegation in Leinster, but not in Munster, doesn’t add up, according to Fitzhenry.
And he pointed to Dublin’s potential relegation, despite losing by just two points in both their opening games, as an obvious flaw in the new format.
“There’s no real sense to relegating a team really,” he told The42 at the launch of the Bord Gáis Energy GAA Legends Tour in Croke Park. “You’re trying to bring on hurling and you’re trying to get counties playing more.
“You have an unlucky run, similar to Dublin, who very easily could have beaten Kilkenny and very easily could have beaten Wexford. They’re staring relegation now in the face, probably along with Offaly. So what’s that going to do to hurling within Dublin?
“The Dublin team themselves, Pat Gilroy has brought them on leaps and bounds this year with Anthony Cunningham. If you’re playing on that team and you’re saying, ‘We were so close to beating Kilkenny, we were so close to beating Wexford, and now we’ve to go out and pick it up again. If we don’t, we’re going to end up relegated.’ It doesn’t really make much sense to be honest.
“Then when you go to another province [Munster], you can just hurl away and you can just lose all your games and nothing will happen, so it doesn’t add up really.”
In the main, however, Fitzhenry is a fan of the new round-robin system and although he has concerns about fixture congestion, the two-time All-Star feels that the new format will prove to be a success.
“They’re looking at change. For change to happen, they have to try things out. This is a trial to see what way it works out. If they can tweak it some way that teams won’t be playing four weeks in a row, it would have to be a help for teams.
“It’s good for supporters, getting plenty of games, going to matches. It’s home and away basis and it’s good for the teams to get games at home.
“In the long run, I think it could be good but with a little few tweaks maybe along the way,” he said.
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Damien Fitzhenry GAA Hurling relegation worries