Provincial championships clearly matter, but their link to the All-Ireland remains a problem
We live in confusing times.
Had we not all agreed to be anti-provincial championships? Because the lads in the pro-lobby brigade are now chirping about their numbers swelling.
Weren't we all liberals and progressives just a few weeks back, eating hummus wraps and striving for a fairer more equitable football championship format. Didn't we suggest the provincials could be played off in January, in a blitz, over one weekend in Athlone? A festival of provinces.
But now we're back washing down doorstep ham sandwiches with flasks of milky tea again while shaking our heads and muttering, '66,000 at Louth-Meath, jaysis, that's a hoor of a crowd.'
READ MORE
The end of the blue shirts in Leinster, a red wave rising in the east after 68 years, right wing, left wing, outside the arc, inside the square, orange flags, black cards, it's hard to keep up with it all.
It might be best just to enjoy what the provincial finals served up rather than getting tangled up in what it all means for the broader issue of the intercounty Gaelic football season.
But it feels like this has been a landmark year for the future of the provincial championships. It's worth a pause. The four senior provincial football finals combined attracted a total of 134,892 spectators.
The attendance of 65,786 at Croke Park to watch Louth and Meath on Sunday was the standout figure but Donegal and Armagh (28,788) sold out St Tiernach's Park on Saturday while the previous weekend a crowd of 27,137 turned out in Castlebar for the Connacht decider between Mayo and Galway.
Kerry and Clare was the only disappointing final in terms of excitement and patrons through the turnstiles – 13,181. But to have attracted well over 100,000 across the four finals, coupled with the drama in three of the fixtures, those praying for the demise of the provincial championships can forget about seeing any white smoke on that particular issue in the near future.
The provincial councils weren't inclined to budge anyhow, but their hand has been significantly strengthened now. The last two weekends confirmed provincial titles still matter to players and supporters.
A view of fans as the Donegal team stand for the national anthem. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
Walking back to the car on Saturday night after Donegal's win over Armagh, the streets of Clones bore the scars of a town that had thoroughly enjoyed its day in the sunshine.
There were still plenty of stragglers around, ruddy-faced young lads searching for a phone signal and cowboy-hatted young wans searching for their bus home, but the sense something big, something memorable, had happened was unavoidable.
The people lining the streets in Ardee and Drogheda and Dundalk on Sunday night as Louth brought the Delaney Cup to the county for the first time since 1957 were overflowing with joy and warmth and appreciation.
County teams (and club teams) provide us with that sense of place and identity which can be hard to find elsewhere.
All politics is local and there are few more satisfying afternoons as a supporter than those when you put one over your neighbour. Local rivalries fuel the passion.
Indeed, if ever a book of GAA commandments is commissioned, top of the list would be: 'Thou shall endeavour to beat thy neighbour before offering up these words of comfort, 'Hard luck, ye have a couple of nice little footballers there.''
Which is an especially lovely line to deliver when both of you know they don't.
Jim McGuinness has been a card-carrying supporter of the provincial championships throughout his two spells as Donegal manager. He also wrote about it
during his time as a columnist with The Irish Times
. It matters to him and you could clearly see it mattered to his players and the Donegal supporters last Saturday. He recalled childhood memories of attending Ulster finals. Layer upon layer of history.
It has been said for many years now that the Ulster competition has saved the provincial football championships from the scrapheap. And there is probably some truth in that because the other three have drifted in and out of relevance.
The Leinster SFC has been on life-support for two decades now. It took Dublin winning 19 of the last 20 Delaney Cups for decision makers to finally take action and move games away from Croke Park.
Over in Connacht, the pitch invasion to mark Galway's fourth title on the bounce not only demonstrated their delight at staying kings of the province but just as importantly it provided them with the bragging rights that comes with keeping their foot on Mayo's throat.
Galway celebrate after the Connacht final. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
The provincial championships, like them or loathe them, provide the battleground for local rivalries to remain alive and continue to grow. Without the history, it's just another game.
The problem is not the provincial championships, the problem is the imbalance when they are linked to the All-Ireland SFC.
Donegal have been rewarded for winning Ulster with top seeding in the All-Ireland round-robin series. They beat Derry, Monaghan, Down and Armagh to get to this stage. In the group they will play Mayo, Tyrone, and Cavan.
Kerry have also been rewarded for winning the Munster title with a top seed in the All-Ireland series. The Kingdom beat Cork and Clare to get to this stage. In the group they will play Meath, Cork, and Roscommon.
The provincial championships are not going away but clearly the link to the All-Ireland remains a problem – the pathway for some is far less treacherous than it is for others. League placings is a much more legitimate barometer.
A new championship format will be in place for 2026 where again the eight provincial finalists will supersede all other teams in terms of gaining a spot in the Sam Maguire competition.
The conversation needs to move away from whether or not the provincial championships have a future. They clearly do.
But it is perhaps time to genuinely examine if they could continue to hold the same appeal as standalone competitions with no link to the All-Ireland.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The 42
2 hours ago
- The 42
Ireland round out the season with dreary draw away to Luxembourg
Luxembourg 0 Republic of Ireland 0 THIS BORE, END-OF-SEASON draw was just about the most passive mutual offering from Ireland and Luxembourg since they designed their respective tax regimes. Acknowledging that June friendlies are hardly havens for confidence or rich feeling, Ireland were desperately poor in the first-half, with their passing ragged and their energy levels low. They were much better after half-time, though, and were unfortunate not to grab a late winner when substitute Jack Taylor smashed a shot off the underside of the crossbar. They ultimately had to settle for a goalless draw, one which extends their unbeaten run to four games and does not seriously check their momentum going into September's World Cup qualifying campaign. Ireland, though, will have to play much better than this if they are to take enough points from the opening games against Hungary and Armenia to maintain an active interest in qualifying through to the final games in November. Heimir Hallgrimsson decided to reward the oft-travelling, rarely-seen Max O'Leary with a first Irish start, giving Caoimhín Kelleher a break. Jake O'Brien replaced Matt Doherty at right-back with Killian Phillips making his full senior debut in midfield, with Ryan Manning benched. Evan Ferguson – whose sharpness in training had impressed his manager – earned a start having come close to doing so on Friday, while Troy Parrott returned to lead the line. Ireland's shape was that to which we have become accustomed: a 4-4-2 without the ball that morphed into a fancier, 3-4-2-1 with the ball. Phillips dropped into deep midfield alongside Jason Knight with Will Smallbone freed up to play further forward. Among Ireland's first-half problems: their evolving formation got stuck in its larval, two-banks-of-four phase, such was Luxembourg's dominance of the ball. O'Leary was sharp to dive to his left to push Danel Sinani's long-range shot around the post, a move whose genesis was a clumsy lay-off by Ferguson to Phillips. Advertisement Hallgrimsson, growing increasingly frustrated, swapped Phillips and Smallbone's positions. That move was tantamount to tinkering around a crash site. Ireland's passing was awful, with players remonstrating with one another as moves continually broke down. An ugly problem from Ireland's last few years also reared its head, with Knight, Phillips and Smallbone looking rushed and uncomfortable when they were pressed in midfield by their opposite number. Troy Parrott contributed Ireland's best moment from open play shortly before half-time, when he controlled the ball and spun away from his aggressive marker, Eldin Džogović, who responded by kicking him in the calf. It was a rare moment of conviction from any Irish player. Smallbone floated the resultant free-kick to Dara O'Shea at the back post, whose square header was met by Nathan Collins, who stooped and headed the ball against the post. Ireland mercifully improved after half-time. Kasey McAteer hinted at the severity of the half-time message by quickly closing down and opponent to rob possession and then pull a left-footed shot wide of the far post. McAteer should have remained so single-minded a few minutes later, but rather than go for goal himself, he instead directed a free header from Ryan Manning's terrific deep cross back across goal for Parrott, who handled the ball amid a miscued effort to try and force the ball over the line. Jack Taylor and Festy Ebosele were sprung from the bench within 10 minutes of the restart and both combined for another chance, only for Taylor to pull a shot wide having been smartly picked out by Ebosele on the edge of the box. Ireland finally managed an effort on target shortly after, as Parrott ran in behind to collect McAteer's pass before lifting the ball delightfully over the onrushing goalkeeper. Parrott, alas, was too eager in making his run and had strayed offside. McAteer, now shifted to an inside-left role as opposed to standing out on the right wing, grew far more influential, but was also guilty of over-enthusiasm in taking an over-the-shoulder volley too early having been picked out by a ball over the top. His shot was tame and easy for Luxembourg's teenage goalkeeper. But alas as many of the Irish players improved around him, Evan Ferguson visibly waned; his lack of match minutes across the season becoming painfully evident. He was caught too often on his heels, most gallingly when Dara O'Shea played a risky pass through midfield that was intended for Ferguson, but intercepted by the much more alert Tomas Moreira, whom Ferguson pursued and then fouled. He was booked, and eventually withdrawn for Adam Idah with 15 minutes remaining. Taylor came agonisingly close to winning the game as the clock ticked out. First Parrott wriggled brilliantly along the endline to pull the ball back for Idah, whose heavy touch ended with the ball running out to Taylor on the edge of the box, who smashed a shot off the underside of the crossbar John Patrick came off the bench for a late senior debut, and showed some very neat touches, most obviously on the edge of his own box after Matt Doherty recovered brilliantly to snuff out a late Luxembourg counter. The Spanish-born midfielder will be among a handful of people on earth to remember this game. While Ireland will have to be vastly improved in September, the context of this game is enough to avoid ringing any alarm bells. Already without the bulk of their Championship contingent, the squad were carrying an accumulated fatigue that will not exist in three months' time. This season, after all, has been long and, er, taxing. Luxembourg: Tiago Pereira; Eldin Džogović, Laurent Jans (Michael Pinto, 62′), Seid Korac, Dirk Carlson; Leandro Barreiro, Tomas Moreira, Danel Sinani; Florian Bohnert (Vincent Thill, 62′) , Gerson Rodrigues (Eric Veiga, 82′), Aiman Dardari (Alessio Curci, 76′) Republic of Ireland: Max O'Leary; Jake O'Brien, Nathan Collins (captain), Dara O'Shea, Robbie Brady (Ryan Manning, 20′); Kasey McAteer (Matt Doherty, 75′), Jason Knight (John Patrick,90′), Will Smallbone (Jack Taylor, 55′), Killian Phillips (Festy Ebosele, 55′); Evan Ferguson (Adam Idah, 75′), Troy Parrott Referee: Stefan Ebner (Austria)
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
Cian Lynch: ‘Hurling is so instinctive, it's an art form, it's an expression'
Cian Lynch still carries the scars of battle, stitches across his left eye and several grazes down his legs. But compared to the hurt of losing Saturday's epic Munster final to Cork , those scuffs don't cut quite as deep. The manner of the defeat, after a penalty shoot-out, is something that has animated many hurling fans over the last five days. Lynch was not even aware there would be a penalty shoot-out until after extra-time and while he praises Cork for getting over the line, the Limerick captain would prefer to see provincial finals decided by a replay. READ MORE 'I suppose it's not for me to make a point or make a comment on what's the right thing to do but you'd love to have another crack at it. Any team would,' says Lynch. 'But for us, it's just about accepting that that's in the past now. We unfortunately didn't win and Cork did. 'It's great credit to Cork. They got the victory in penalties. The game could have gone either way. 'Look, it's something to obviously review. Hurling is so instinctive, it's an art form, it's an expression. Why do people play it? It's because it's a 15-man game, it's a chance to have a man on the shoulder to support. 'But when it comes to penalties, other than the five guys and the goalie, I suppose you're helpless standing on the sideline watching. It's tough for guys, but it is what it is.' Limerick's Cian Lynch dejected after the game. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho Lynch did not take a penalty last Saturday night at the Gaelic Grounds but had nothing but respect for those who were prepared to stand over a sliotar in those pressure-cooker moments. 'If you were asked to take one, I'm sure 100 per cent you'd do anything you can to help the team but I wouldn't be someone that's known to stand over a free or a penalty, to be honest with you,' he says. 'But the five guys, obviously our guys, the same as Cork obviously and Nickie [Quaid], to step up, that takes some courage. 'After playing 70 to 90 minutes of hurling, to have it based on standing over a penalty, that is tough. That is some responsibility, but great credit to the guys, great credit to Nickie and so on. Just the way it is.' Galway defender Fintan Burke watched Saturday night's drama unfold and is also of the belief that a replay would be a fairer way to produce a winner. 'If you win great and if you lose it's the worst thing in the world,' says Burke. 'I'd be of the opinion of a replay. That's just personal, I don't think penalties are a fair reflection on where a team is at, as in you could have five great penalty takers and maybe the other team only has three, and it's not really reflecting on hurling throughout the team. So personally I'd be going for a replay, but that's just again personal preference. 'People just think you're standing up hitting a shot, but you've to put so much energy in and it's probably a lot more mentally you're exhausted and you have to walk the 60 yards then on your own and there's a lot going through your mind.'
Irish Examiner
3 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Three bright sparks from a frustrating Irish night in Luxembourg
Heimir Hallgrimsson shuffled his pack for the season-ending friendly, giving three less frequent campaigners a chance to impress from the start. This is how they fared. Max O'Leary Bristol City goalkeeper, 28, has spent six years hovering around the squad, waiting patiently for his first appearance, and he did himself no harm whatsoever here with a clean sheet - albeit against goal-shy opponents. It took almost half an hour for O'Leary to be called into meaningful action and his diving stop to turn Danel Sinani's shot around his left-hand post was a solid one. A selection of other straightforward stops came in the second half as Ireland incrementally improved from a limp opening 45. Usurping Caoimhin Kelleher for the games that matter in the autumn is quite unlikely and neither Gavin Bazunu nor Mark Travers should be forgotten about but it is both a blessing and a curse that a squad so lacking in depth elsewhere has four good players to choose from between the posts. Read More Much changed Ireland slump to dour draw with Luxembourg Killian Phillips It would be unfair to say Ireland's improvement and increase in control after he was substituted ten minutes into the second half was solely down to the full debutant St Mirren midfielder. But if fans have griped about a lack of midfield control for several years now, then Phillips is unlikely to prove the long-term answer. Jack Taylor, who was sprung on in a double change at the same time Phillips was removed, offered far more. That is not to say Phillips played badly. With his socks rolled down low in the style of a maverick, his handful of moments on the ball were quite safe. The issue was he simply did not get on it enough during a match begging for someone to offer something different. There was one nice bit of skill to purchase some space in the centre circle about 25 minutes in but it is hard to envisage a scenario where he is chosen ahead of more familiar names in September. Kasey McAteer The right winger followed up his goal in Friday's maiden start against Senegal with a quiet opening half last night but he showed more promise soon after the break when moving inside. His one clear sight of goal, in the 48th minute, was scuffed wide but when he was in possession Ireland looked marginally more likely to produce a bit of creativity. Unafraid to get stuck in, he reacted angrily to a naughty tackle by Sinani, who was booked, and McAteer was not short of defensive work either - with energetic tracking back halting Aiman Dardari from storming into the box with a counterattack that flirted with being dangerous. Replaced by Matt Doherty with 15 minutes remaining, if he can continue doing well for Leicester upon their return to the Championship in August expect him to feature in some guise for the qualifiers - most probably as an impact sub.
