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Tyrone's Joe McMahon with Donegal's Ross Wherity. INPHO/James Crombie

Conor Deegan: Donegal shine, London surprise and the need for change in Munster

TheScore.ie’s Gaelic football columnist reflects on the weekend’s action.

Donegal defeat Tyrone

The key questions before yesterday’s game was where Donegal stood.

Did they have the same desire after winning the All-Ireland? Was relegation from the league going to affect them? Were the losses of Karl Lacey and Mark McHugh going to hinder them?

All of those questions were answered emphatically. Coming into the game, I fancied Tyrone based on what I had seen during the league. But the match proved that Jim McGuinness was correct in the attitude he adopted towards the league.

He said Donegal were not bothered with relegation and that theory proved correct. There was no signs that their desire has been dulled at all by winning the All-Ireland. They were excellent. The confidence and belief is there amongst their players in a system that they know and have bought into.

I think they are going to be able to refine that even more as they get more accustomed to it and that’s a frightening thought for every else. McGuinness demonstrated again what a shrewd operator he is. He knew that Lacey and McHugh were not able to perform for a full game..

Donegal manager Jim McGuinness and manager Mickey Harte of Tyrone
Pic: INPHO/James Crombie

Thus he operated with the rationale that it was better to play physically fit players from the start – a key ingredient for Donegal’s system. The team were then boosted by springing those two players from the bench. It was clever stuff.

McGuinness is building a very formidable outfit. Ross Wherity came into the game and made a difference. After his goal it was game over as Donegal shut up shop. The other player who contributed significantly to that goal was Patrick McBrearty. He’s growing up in football terms. Yesterday he stood up and really drove at Tyrone. The guy is only going to get better and better

It became a typical Ulster game by the end as it developed into a niggling contest. Tyrone’s discipline was poor near the end and that was borne from pure and total frustration. What Joe McMahon did was very foolish.

The game was a learning experience for Tyrone and proved how championship is a different beast. Niall Morgan did not have a good day with his frees and I felt if he’d been an outfield player, Tyrone would have taken him off the frees earlier. But they were very dogmatic and stuck with him.

Tyrone won two All-Ireland titles through the qualifiers and the circuitous route might help them develop. They have a fantastic manager in charge of them. But there will be doubts about them if they bump into one of the big guns and they also badly need to look at their discipline after yesterday.

London’s Ciaran McCallion celebrates.
Pic: INPHO/Jim Keogh

London’s victory over Sligo

The biggest game might have been in Ballybofey but the biggest result of the weekend was in Ruislip yesterday. It was magnificent for London and everyone involved with them who have put in such a huge effort.

With the way the country is going, you’d imagine they will get stronger as people continue to leave these shores. It’s a tough life playing for London with the commitment needed to travel to training and they’re to be commended for that result.

Eamonn O’Hara’s comments last night on Sligo and Kevin Walsh have hit the headlines. The bottom line is I think O’Hara – who has given unbelievable service to his county – merited a bit more respect. He’s 37 years old and needed a different training schedule. They could have done with him yesterday.

I wonder did the Sligo players believe that they were not going to be facing the biggest of tests. That slackness of attitude can prove costly. I saw them last year in the Connacht final against Mayo, a game they lost after having largely controlled it. Yet yesterday’s defeat was a sign that they have slipped back since then.

Action from Kerry and Tipperary
Pic: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan

Munster and Leinster championship

The games in Munster this weekend highlighted again how the whole championship structure needs to be re-examined. There are a huge amount of counties that are simply hitting their heads against a brick wall when they face the elite.

There had been talk in the spring that Kerry were in decline but they went out yesterday to win by 17 points against Tipperary. Cork did something similar on Saturday night against Limerick. Munster is a two horse race where Cork and Kerry are essentially sparring before they meet each other.

What’s the benefit to the teams who are beaten? Zero. This is the championship that we have as an association. We hang onto it for grim death but we need to look at it. A two tier championship is badly needed so that everyone genuinely has something to play for.

Take Longford and Wicklow yesterday who played each other in Aughrim. Are either of them going to win Sam this year? No, but at least a second tier would be a competition they could realistically aim for.

We need to be more practical, especially when you consider the amount of money being invested in the preparation of teams. As a country we don’t have as much money to spare and county boards certainly don’t. Is it not time to start paring back on that front and change the mindset?

Murph’s Sideline Cut: Nothing added to Donegal except more McBrearty brilliance

Eamonn O’Hara calls on Sligo boss Kevin Walsh to resign after London loss

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49 Comments
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    Mute Seán Prendeville
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    May 27th 2013, 5:13 PM

    Don’t just pick on Munster. We can basically predict the winners of Connacht (Mayo), Ulster (Donegal) and Leinster (Dublin), whereas Munster is the toughest to call between Cork and Kerry. At least Munster is a two horse race, Leinster can hardly be called that at the moment, Connacht either and if Tyrone were supposed to be Donegal’s main opposition in Ulster this year then that also doesn’t say much for our Northern province.

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    Mute Shane McGettrick
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    May 27th 2013, 5:51 PM

    Sorry to break it to you Sean but Munster is usually the most cut and dried football provincial championship, only ever 2 teams in the mix. Even a poor year in Connacht has 3 teams in with a chance.

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    Mute Seán Prendeville
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    May 27th 2013, 6:42 PM

    Nonsence, this is a bad year for Connacht, and it’s going to be Mayo’s title, no way is there 3 teams in with a chance

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    Mute Shane McGettrick
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    May 27th 2013, 7:49 PM

    Even if Mayo do win it, and at this stage they’d have to be favourites, they’ll still have to get past Roscommon and most likely Leitrim. Once Cork or Kerry are out, Munster is a forgone conclusion. Remind me again how many teams won the Munster SFC in the last 20 years? The answer is 2, compared to 4 different winners in Connacht. Hell, I’m not saying Connacht is all that competitive but Munster is in a league all of its own.

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    Mute Seán Prendeville
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    May 28th 2013, 4:05 AM

    Look, I’m not saying Munster is fine, it’s clearly not, but neither is the likes of Connacht. The problem is that Cork and Kerry are so good compared to their opposition. If you put the likes of Tipp, Limerick and Clare into Connacht they wouldn’t fair so bad. The only reason Connacht is “competitive” is that the top teams in Connacht are just above average and can be caught out. If you swapped Cork and Kerry with Galway and Mayo, Connacht would be the same as what we have now in Munster.

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    Mute Shane McGettrick
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    May 28th 2013, 3:12 PM

    Interesting logic, comparing apples and oranges, both Galway and Mayo have been in All Ireland finals during the last 20 years, Kerry aside, Cork aren’t over burdened with medals. The average standard in Connacht is still better, look at what divisions teams are in the NFL, Leitrim are the only consistent D4 side. That said, compared to Leinster and particularly Ulster there is still a reduced level of competitiveness.

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    Mute Seán Prendeville
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    May 28th 2013, 3:37 PM

    Sligo and Roscommon are stuck in division 3
    Sligo were damn lucky to survive relegation
    Limerick have been promoted to division 3
    Clare or Tipp were damn unlucky not to gain promotion

    Talk all you want about consistency, it’s the present that matters. There’s very little difference between the 2 provinces and in my opinion if there is a difference it’s that the strong in Munster are VERY strong.

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    Mute Shane McGettrick
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    May 28th 2013, 11:48 PM

    You can say that, but Cork have just a single all Ireland since 1993. Besides, this was about uncompetitive provincial championships, which isn’t the case in Connacht, all 5 counties have won it at least once since 1990 and this was in a period when Galway won all Ireland’s and Mayo featured in numerous finals.

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    Mute Seán Prendeville
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    May 29th 2013, 4:02 AM

    Saying Connacht is competitive is deeply flawed, reason being is that the top teams there are not as good as the top teams in Munster. Yes, but you could also say it another way, in that since 1993, Cork have 2 All Irelands, now compare that to Mayo’s record.

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    Mute Jigsaw
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    May 27th 2013, 3:52 PM

    Against a 2nd tier system because it would keep the smaller county’s down forever. Under that system a Clare wouldnt have won in 92, Leitrim wouldn’t have won, Louth,Laois,Westmeath wouldn’t have been in finals etc etc
    Lots of teams are considered 2nd tier until they have a good year

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    Mute Nelly
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    May 27th 2013, 4:04 PM

    Turn the game pro then you will see real competition.look at London they benefitted from all the Irish living there now.it would do the game good if players could move around.please don’t mention pride in playing for your county.that goes as soon as €€€€ comes into it.

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    Mute Robert Callaghan
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    May 27th 2013, 4:49 PM

    Nelly,

    That’s the whole point, money doesn’t come into it. That’s what makes it the game it is…

    Gaa is so much more than just the intercounty championships… Club football would be destroyed as well. It would be the end of our great game

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    Mute Nelly
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    May 27th 2013, 5:14 PM

    Don’t give me money doesn’t come into it.maybe at club level but at county level up everyone gets paid “expenses”sure some county managers are on big bucks.the only thing that’s not professional about the GAA is the players don’t get paid!everyone else does.how much does your chief exec get paid?

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    Mute Robert Callaghan
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    May 27th 2013, 5:26 PM

    Players get expenses, which is a pittance, to cover some basic costs eg mileage. I have no issue with this whatsoever. Some managers are getting big money which i dont really agree with but it is what it is, its going to be hard to change that practice at this stage. Thankfully i think by and large, the days of club managers getting €100-200 euro a night are gone.

    But you are suggesting the game be made professional, that is a whole different thing altogether. The beauty and the romance of the gaa is a player could score the winning point in an all Ireland final in front of 80,000 people, watched by thousands across the world on tv, and the following Sunday could line out against the average club player, in front of 50 people. Say what you want about the gaa, that is a unique situation in world sport. And a situation i would hate to see disappear.

    Professionalism would be the death of the gaa, the whole thing would fall apart.

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    Mute Nelly
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    May 27th 2013, 5:42 PM

    What about that said player who scored the winning point in front of 80k people being unemployed which is the case lately,them 80k people paid big money to see him+both teams play,the revenue taking in on the day.yet he goes home to the dole after makin all that money for the GAA.rugby turned pro in this country a few years back and if anything it’s improved the amateur game here.look at England with soccer been pro it hasn’t destroyed the amateur game there either.can you give me one example of a game turning pro having a negative effect on the game

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    Mute Shane Ferguson
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    May 27th 2013, 6:11 PM

    Nelly, where do you think the money is going to come from? Some counties are in debt at amatuer level.

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    Mute Robert Callaghan
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    May 27th 2013, 6:14 PM

    You do away with the parochial aspect of the gaa and you lose the magic of the gaa. That may be an old fashioned view but it the view of the vast majority of grass roots level members.

    The soccer club structure here is a mess, clubs teams set up for a year or 2 and then dispanding, no facilities etc. Soccer going professional in this country didn’t do so well did it, and that is with a game that has a global audience. Where exactly do you think the money for a professional game would come from, are Sky going to be banging the door down to throw millions at the sport?

    You mentioned rugby, i can’t comment on club rugby because i have no knowledge of it, but as you say is only gone professional a number of years here and already you have sexton and ferris turning into mercenaries and following the money to france and japan respectively… Do you think that is positive for Irish rugby?

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    Mute Nelly
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    May 27th 2013, 6:17 PM

    And why are they in debt?its the smaller clubs that aren’t viable dragging them down.alot of local clubs in my area invested in these all weather pitches during the boom,a great idea if they were in a built up area but these were in the back of beyond and anyone with any cop on would see they were never goin to make money on them.alot of these counties are I debt cos of bad management of people and money.

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    Mute Nelly
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    May 27th 2013, 6:29 PM

    @robert soccer and rugby clubs don’t have the same facilities as the GAA cos they never got the same grants from the lottery ie the government.the only reason ferris is goin to Japan is that he’s coming back from serious injury and the game in Japan isn’t as physical as here.its very common for New Zealand players to do the same coming back from dad injuries,and as regard for sexton.if you were in that position and you were offered big money to play abroad knowing you have maybe 6-10 years of your career left would you not take it

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    Mute Robert Callaghan
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    May 27th 2013, 6:43 PM

    That lottery money is up for grabs for any club in the country, not just for gaa clubs. Its not just handed out, plenty of work goes into recieving that funding, i know, my club have been trying unsuccessfully to secure a grant.

    You still haven’t answered where you think the money would come from. Irish soccer went pro a number of years ago and the whole thing went bust, the same would happen if the gaa tried it. 32 counties, 30 player panels, average of €40,000-€50,000 each a year is €40/50m.where is that sort of money going to come from?

    I don’t blame Sexton at all, he would be foolish not to take the money, my point was it’s good for Sexton, not for Irish rugby. I don’t want to find the gaa in a situation where players are moving are the country to the highest bidder. That might be beneficial to the player himself, but not to the sport.

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    Mute Nelly
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    May 27th 2013, 7:12 PM

    If the GAA stopped funding non viable clubs.i know a local club that got into debt to the tune of a million and is bailed out by headquarters how many other clubs are like that.they could fund it through sponsorship.if their was a top tier of decent teams like you see at the Donegal game the money from the gates would go along way cos you’ll always get big crowds if 2decent teams are playing.let each county stand on its own.sure isn’t it commonly known that dublin invested over a million euro the year the team that won the all Ireland?nothing amateur about that.course it’s good for the game of rugby here that sexton is leaving for France youngsters will see him as someone to aspire to and see they can make a living out of it and maybe choose to play rugby over GAA

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    Mute Robert Callaghan
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    May 27th 2013, 7:34 PM

    It’s not feasible, the gaa brought in 50 odd million last year, most of which was spent. And where you might have an isolated case or two where a club has been bailed out, it is not commonplace. You are not going to get another 20, 30, 40 million in sponsorship to pay players.

    As i said, soccer tried it here without having international tv money and it feel flat on its face.

    The gaa is in good shape, it doesn’t need a change.

    And regardless what you say, high profile players leaving to chase money abroad does nothing for the game of rugby here. Do you think a 10 year old will choose to play rugby over gaa because he thinks he can make a living out of it? Seeing winning, successful teams ie the provinces, will promote rugby to youngsters much more than the draw of a living.

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    Mute Nelly
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    May 27th 2013, 7:41 PM

    If the GAA is as mighty,good and healthy as you say why does it need grants from the government and the lottery.the thing that makes me laugh is when the GA try and say they done croke park on their own sure most of it was funded by the government/lottery grants.

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    Mute Robert Callaghan
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    May 27th 2013, 7:48 PM

    It doesn’t need it, but it helps. The gaa had its plan and schedule to build croke park, it would have been built either way, just not as quick as it was.

    The irfu and fai could not have built the aviva without the funding given to them. By the way, the percentage funding that has gone into croker park is the same as has gone into the aviva, so im not sure what your point is?

    It took a while but i can see that chip in your shoulder starting to come out in the last two posts… Embrace your national game, you’ll feel better

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    Mute Nelly
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    May 27th 2013, 7:59 PM

    I’ve tried Robert I’ve tried.but its just to amateur to watch it.there doesn’t seem to be to much skill,formation to the game its like a crowd of children chasing a ball.it’s getting like soccer now with the ladies rolling on the ground when someone touches them.

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    Mute Fergal O'Shea
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    May 27th 2013, 10:11 PM

    @Nelly: what turned you so sour on GAA? I live in the US and I am a sports nut. I’ve been to pro soccer games, rugby games, baseball games, American football games, NBA games, hockey games, and, I can tell you nothing compares to GAA (for me at least). From junior to senior, I make it to several games at home every year. Second team club games, first team club championship and league games, county games, hurling and football, and nothing compares. And, the biggest reason nothing compares for me is that these are the sports I grew up with, and, I participate. The GAA is a super organisation. Croke Park and the amateur game are of great pride to this emigrant! A few more questions: do you go to games, or play yourself, or, are you a member of a club?

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    Mute Nelly
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    May 27th 2013, 10:47 PM

    Nothing turned me sour its just I’ve never had any interest in the game.i played rugby soccer swam when I was younger and it’s very hard to see these places with so little facilities and seeing money pumped into the GAA.its like when the Olympics come around and we never win a medal.if the grants been givin to the GAA were givin to athletics cyclin or some other sports maybe we’d have a chance of winning something.look at Katie Taylor’s boxing gym it didn’t even have a toilet/shower.people who support the GAA are very inward looking.look at the big deal it was to open up croke park.got forbid another sport could be played there.

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    Mute Stephen Flynn
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    May 27th 2013, 11:29 PM

    That nelly is some Muppet A defo GAA hater

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    Mute Nelly
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    May 28th 2013, 8:03 AM

    Great comment Stephen you really added to the debate.comment of the week

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    Mute Robert Callaghan
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    May 28th 2013, 11:51 AM

    Nelly,

    Have a look at the last years sports funding breakdown. A wide variety of sports recieved funding, so this ‘poor us’ attitude is pathetic.

    What is your view that the aviva is 50% state funded, the same percentage as croke park? If the gaa has pumped in a couple of hundred million into a stadium, i think it has the right to have a say in what it is used for. Can the gaa rock up and use the aviva whenever it wants.

    You devalued your argument by trying to slag off the sport. You are the only one in this argument that went that direction, so it begs the question which group of fans are ‘inward looking’? Seems to me that gaa fans are more open minded about other sports than the other way around.

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    Mute Nelly
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    May 28th 2013, 11:57 AM

    Ok bob if that’s what you think I’m never gona change your mind.

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    Mute Writeon
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    May 28th 2013, 12:13 PM

    Nelly you seem to have fallen somewhere between trolling and trying to make a good argument, in the end you have achieved neither!!

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    Mute Robert Callaghan
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    May 28th 2013, 12:25 PM

    Nelly started out with a point but once challenged and had no counter argument, simply resorted to a poor attempt at trolling.
    He found the other gaa article to spout his bile with less resistance

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    Mute Nelly
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    May 28th 2013, 1:58 PM

    Yeah ye are right to be honest I lost interest in it.it wasn’t going anywhere we’d still be arguing about something now.

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    Mute Stephen Flynn
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    May 28th 2013, 8:40 PM

    Nelly Again I will say it ,your a muppet, lads stop having a debate with a guy , who contradicts himself at ever turn of this debate, my club is small rural club, if it wasnt for my friends and club mates who traveled 1 and half hour round trips to training and games , and never took a penny for petrol because they wud prefer the money to go to the underage teams for jerseys and balls and buses to take them to the games , our club wouldn’t exist,it’s the only thing that holds our small parish together in these times, it gives every one hope for the future to see our kids out playing and enjoying them selfs, so to turn it pro wud be the end of it all, we have keep one good thing in this country!

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    Mute Jigsaw
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    May 27th 2013, 3:54 PM

    Also I don’t see it working much in the hurling at the moment where few care about the 2nd tier(except the players playing in it)

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    Mute Fergus Fring
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    May 27th 2013, 5:29 PM

    I reckon they should let all 32 counties into the AI SHC. Sure, the same 4 teams might make it to the Semi’s almost every year but you’ll always have an underdog that will breakthrough the ranks. And we all know what can happen when an underdog gets some confidence in them.
    Seriously, the Hurling Championship has become, dare I say it, inevitably boring.

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    Mute Niall
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    May 27th 2013, 3:58 PM

    If Donegal played Dublin tomorrow it would sell out corker 10 times over, it’s the fixture everybody is hoping for

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    Mute Shane Ferguson
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    May 27th 2013, 6:09 PM

    With respect Conor, the suggestion of a second tier competition is stupid. Players wont commit and counties will go backwards.

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    Mute Shane Costello
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    May 27th 2013, 9:48 PM

    Have 8 groups of four for the championship. Use the league to seed the teams for the championship (makes the league that bit more important). All teams in a group play each other once and the top two in each group go through to a last 16 knock out for Sam. The bottom two in each group could go into a last 16 knock out for a second tier cup. This guarantees each team 4 games. You could play the group games over 4-6 weeks and take a break for club games and hurling then play last 16 and another break etc. To keep the likes of New York, London and Kilkenny involved the bottom 2 in division 4 could travel to New York and play off for the last spot in the championship. It also eliminates some counties playing 2 games and being in an all Ireland QF while others have to play 4+ as all counties play the same number of games. Makes scheduling games easier as all counties are given the fixtures at the start and will have to stick to it.

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    Mute Fearghus Riordan
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    May 27th 2013, 8:40 PM

    We had the Tommy Murphy cup and it was a disaster. People still perceive it to be the “B” competition no matter what they do to promote it.

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    Mute Amanda Brosnan✨
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    May 27th 2013, 5:56 PM

    The all Ireland football championship should be a champions league format with 4 groups. The provincial championship should remain the same and the 4 provincial winners being top seed in the the all Ireland championship. Provincial final losers 2nd seed in group and so on…..

    Each team plays every team other in their group and top two teams make the all Ireland quarter finals.

    Not fair for the weaker teams to train for months for a couple of games!

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    Mute Shane Ferguson
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    May 27th 2013, 6:12 PM

    Waht she said ▲

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    Mute Robert Callaghan
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    May 27th 2013, 6:29 PM

    I don’t know, the cut of the championship will be gone. You will have counties being able to lose 2/3 games and still qualify for a quarter final. Imagine a team that loses its first 4 championship games, imagine the farce it would turn into for their final 3 games.. What incentive would they have for playing? It would turn into a farce.

    I don’t mean to shoot down your suggestion, as i dont have a better alternative, but i don’t think that will work.

    Your suggesting of seeding might work but then have an all ireland draw, keeping the back door system. You would then have the problem of the number of games you would have to play to become a top seed differing depending on province. Don’t think there will ever be a perfect system… But it should be looked at

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    Mute Liam Donohoe
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    May 27th 2013, 7:13 PM

    I agree except that they should play the Dr McKenna Cup, Walsh Cup etc as the provincial championship with home and away ties, early in the season and scrap the current league format entirely, the top two teams in each province would then be the Champions League qualifiers (i.e. two groups of four teams) with maybe a shield competition for the first round losers. I think there are too many games now and while the qualifier system has led to a ‘big day’ out for many of the weaker counties over the years, ie. Sligo, Fermanagh, Westmeath etc. I in fact think it’s a flawed system when a team can win their provincial championship and not have a ‘second chance’ when every other team has a ‘second chance’. At the end of the day I agree with you that the weaker counties don’t get looked after at all, but at the end of the day some counties just don’t have the right systems in place to win.

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    Mute Peter McGlynn
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    May 29th 2013, 7:49 AM

    What’s with all the misleading pics from the Donegal – Tyrone game?

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    Mute Jim Walsh
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    May 27th 2013, 8:46 PM

    There should some form of a tiered system but that should still allow teams in the second teir to have a chance at winning the All-Ireland. We should also remove the provincial system which has strangled the game for years now.

    I would suggest a 4×4 A tier groups and 4×4 (or 5) B tier groups based on seeded teams. All teams would play on a home and away basis league basis (giving everybody at least 6 games).

    - Winners of the A tier groups go into the All-Ireland QF and also be top seeds in the following year’s group draw.
    - The 2nd and 3rd place in the A tier groups and the 1st and 2nd in the B tier groups (16 teams) would go into a knock out phase until 4 teams remain and they would then be the other 4 All-Ireland QF where they would be drawn against the A tier group winners.
    - Standard knockout at that point to the All-Ireland final.

    - Teams that win their B tier section would be promoted to the A tier where they would be bottom seeds for the following year’s group draw.
    - Teams that finish 4th in the A tier would be relegated to the B tier where they would be top seeds for the following year’s group draw.

    - Finally the 4 relegated teams would join the remain B tier teams in a straight knock out draw for an All-Ireland B championship.

    This would give us a competition that would allow for promotion and relegation, meaningful games the whole way through and technically would allow every team in the country a shout at the All-Ireland every year.

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    Mute Shane McGettrick
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    May 27th 2013, 9:25 PM

    You make a decent point but I think the provincial system has an appeal all of its own for better or worse. A lot of teams principle aim in may us to win the provincial championship, an all Ireland is out if reach for all but a handful of counties.

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    Mute Jim Walsh
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    May 28th 2013, 12:06 AM

    What future is there for the game if that’s what the majority of teams are aiming for? And most of them will never even achieve that. The provincial system is strangling GAA in the weaker counties.

    Tipperary is a pefect example of this. They have won an All-Ireland at minor level but not all of that team will transition through to the seniors. And the ones that do will every year face the prospect of meeting Cork or Kerry at some point and are very unlikely to defeat them. What motivation does that give any of them in the depths of winter when the end of their campaign is almost written in stone? At least with my proposal they’ll get to meet potentially different opposition every year.

    The simple proof that the provincial system is wrong and should be done away with is that if somebody proposed it now as a potential system they would be laughed out of it. The idea that some counties would have to play against 8 or 11 other counties while other would only have 5 counties wouldn’t even be considered.

    Time for the GAA to be radical. It’ll never happen of course and the same teams will continue to thrive over and over.

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