After two one sided preliminary quarter final fixtures, a rethink on the All Ireland series is required. Hawkeye Sidekick reflects on this weekend’s senior action. The winners learned nothing. The vanquished enter the off season with their confidence shattered.
This article is not intended to cut ribbons off Kildare and Laois senior hurling teams. Both sides were faced with an impossible scenario yesterday. They only had a six day turnaround time after their Joe McDonagh Cup final to fulfill this fixture block. Tipperary and Dublin (their opponents) were primed for this fixture for the last three weeks.
We will not rehash old ground on these fixtures. The gulf in performance levels there from the first quarter of both encounters. The twenty-three and twenty-one point victories told the tale of the tape. Dublin and Tipperary in cruise control. Both sides looking at tougher assignments clearing out the benches early. No lessons learned for the victors.
Kildare enter the Leinster SHC next season. Yesterday’s fixture clearly shows the improvements which is needed to even compete at this elite level. It looks like a daunting task. GAA HQ were latching onto the belief of a shock upset like Laois turning over Dublin in 2019. The fixture round is broken.
The gulf in standards between Munster and Leinster SHC vs. Joe McDonagh Cup has widen since 2019. The results since 2019 in this All Ireland series round have been predictably routine victories for the established counties. Something has got to give.
William Maher, GAA hurling development committee and GAA HQ have to deal with this clear fixture round imbalance.
Proposal 1
Allow the Joe McDonagh Cup final winner to advance to the preliminary quarter final. The other team would be the winner of a playoff fixture. This fixture between the fourth placed sides in Munster and Leinster SHC.
The Joe McDonagh Cup final losers is not considered for the All Ireland SHC preliminary series. The existing relegation to Joe McDonagh Cup applies whereby the Leinster SHC bottom side from the round robin goes down.
Proposal 2
Joe McDonagh is its own competition. Both finalists in this competition end their campaign at this final and not advance to the preliminary quarter final.
The fourth and fifth placed teams in Munster and Leinster SHC playoff for the two preliminary spots. The existing relegation structure is applied. The bottom Leinster SHC side is relegated to Joe McDonagh Cup.
Proposal 3
Ditch the preliminary quarter final fixture block. Third placed Leinster side faces the Munster SHC runner-up. Third placed Munster side faces the Leinster SHC runner-up. The bottom two in both provinces compete in a round robin. This would settle who participates in the Joe McDonagh Cup next season.
The Joe McDonagh Cup winner will play the loser of a relegation fixture between the bottom placed Munster and Leinster SHC sides. It would clearly show if the Joe McDonagh Cup final winner is capable of competing at the higher level. A fair way of promotion and relegation.