The imbalance is crazy at this stage.
There can be no more gimme games, the championship needs an urgent and drastic restructuring.
For Kerry to get to the All-Ireland semi-final this year, they will have to beat Clare and Tipperary, and then Clare again. That is not a slight on Clare or Tipperary. That’s not Kerry’s fault either.
But it is wrong. It is unashamedly wrong.
It is wrong that one side needs to win just two games to get to the last eight where others need to win four. For no other reason but because of the province they’re in.
If Kerry's embarrassing route to a potential semi-final doesn't spark change in the #GAA, nothing ever will https://t.co/qrvF0RCGvm
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) July 23, 2016
Whilst embarrassing might not be an appropriate term to describe the undoubted progression and very real challenge of teams like Tipperary and Clare, it is embarrassing that three games against two counties can get someone to the last four of a 33-team competition.
It’s an imbalance that needs addressed.
It’s not disrespectful to highlight that one win usually puts Cork automatically into round four of the qualifiers at least, one place off the quarter-finals. It would, however, be doing the teams in the first round of the Leinster and Ulster championships a complete disservice if we didn’t draw attention to it when Derry, for example, had to win three games to get to that stage this year.
It’s not right either that three wins over two Division Three sides get Kerry into the All-Ireland semi-final. By the same token, in 2011 and 2012, three wins got Jim McGuinness to just an Ulster final.
Why is that accepted?
Why is it wrong to question it, especially when those provincial championships are directly affecting the All-Ireland series of which every county is a part of? There’s no logical or acceptable reason to continue in the current format.
In 2012, this is what Mayo had to do to get into the last eight en route to the final.
This is what Donegal had to do.
Whatever about the standard of opposition, the fact that the men from the hills had to play 100 per cent more games than Mayo to get to the same stage as them is a joke. The fact that it continues as the norm without so much as a raised eyebrow is frightening.
It would be a shame to lose the provincial series entirely. There’s still something so natural – even if it is just romantic – about fighting for that pride of place before moving on to try and conquer the whole island. But in its current state, it can no longer impact the All-Ireland series. Not when there’s six teams in one province and 12 in another.
Imagine we had never known the provinces like they are. Imagine we had a blank canvas with no history or tradition. Then imagine trying to pitch that idea now. Trying to suggest having six teams compete for a quarter-final place from the Munster competition and 12 teams compete for a quarter-final place from Leinster. You’d be laughed at. And rightly so.
And, no, it doesn’t exactly help the like of Kerry either. Natives of the Kingdom aren’t thrilled at having been tested by just Clare and Tipperary before having to go to war in the All-Ireland semi-finals against some of the best in the country (if they get there).
@ConanDoherty it's a pity it took clare and tipp to do what they did for ye all to cop it.weve said it for yrs. it's a joke
— Tomás Ó Sé (@tomas5ky) July 24, 2016
There’s no camp happy with this structure as it is. There’s no way it can keep going on as it is.
So the proposal for a new championship is this:
- Get rid of the pre-season competitions: O’Byrne Cup, FBD League etc etc.
- Push the start of the league forward to January.
- Lose the Division One semi-final – top two go straight into the decider.
- Finish the league in March/early April and run off a separate provincial series over four weeks.
- Prepare for the new World Cup-style championship to begin at the start of June.
- Eight groups, four teams, seeded somehow – either based on league division or provincial finalists act as two seeded sides.
THE GROUP STAGES
If the new championship structure was to start in 2017 – and the groups were ranked based on having a team from each division – it could look like this.
Suddenly, it’s a hell of a lot more interesting.
- A team from every division in every group.
- Two teams qualify from each group for the second round.
- Each team plays each other once – home or away games are based on the luck of the draw (but you will have at least one home game).
- Group winners play a group runner-up in the second round.
- At least three teams in each of those pots will fancy their chances of making a top two.
- Every game would be meaningful – the two weakest teams playing each other even more so because they simply have to win.
- Final group games could be absolutely enthralling with everything on the line.
If New York travel was an issue, then the bottom-placed Division Four side could play them in a play-off to enter into the 32-team championship.
THE KNOCKOUT STAGES
If the seeded teams were to emerge, this is how the knockout stages could unfold.
Players of weaker counties don’t like the idea of a split in the championship. Sponsors sure as hell wouldn’t like it either.
There’s an apathy at the moment around the provincial structure and qualifier format but a proper round robin summer tournament could really invigorate the whole country. It would be a serious spectacle, there’d be more meaningful games and teams would be targeting fixtures with all their might, fancying their chances of emerging from the group stages.
Either way, they’re getting three bites of the championship cherry too and that’s a lot more for what can be said for some at the minute.
Most importantly, this round robin tournament is fair and balanced. The current structure is anything but. It would be madness to let it continue.
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