GAA has growing problem on its hands as drastic action is needed to save Leinster Hurling Championship

The Irish Sun

23-04-2025

LIKE it or not — the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship is a problem child for the GAA.
'Welcome to the club, lads', its provincial football counterpart might say from the back of the bus.
It's not all that long really since Seán Boylan's Meath men, Mick O'Dwyer's Kildare and Laois sides and Páidí Ó Sé's Westmeath teams put it up to Dublin over the early summer months.
But for well over a decade now the competition has simply
Thankfully the Championship format shake-up has given games some meaning, because Kildare and Louth's semi-final this weekend is a play-off for Sam Maguire football in all but name.
But sadly, we all know what happens next.
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The Delaney Cup hasn't left the Big Smoke since 2010 — and Bob O'Keeffe's a firm Kilkenny resident now too.
The Cats are going for their sixth in a row this summer, which even they have never done before.
Think of that — without an All-Ireland since 2015, during a barren spell, they have totally dominated their province.
Their
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It's clear the Tribesmen are in transition but most of that number was made up of locals urging on their beloved Cats to a 12-point win.
The Brian Cody v
RTE pundit Peter Canavan angers fans after leaving notable county out of his 'big four' All-Ireland contenders
Wexford's 2019 triumph was a joy to behold but it's been one-way traffic since.
The Models are always good value for a scalp and their supporters bring great noise and colour, but going all the way after
Offaly's rise will continue on the back of their long-awaited return to the Leinster arena and All-Ireland Under-20 glory last year, but Saturday's defeat to Dublin was a reality check.
The Dubs always take a scalp or two themselves and this year will be no different.
Saturday's showdown with Wexford will have a huge bearing on things but they just lack an overall quality needed to dethrone the Cats.
Carlow's draw with their neighbours last year was one of the greatest results in their history but the Barrowsiders still got relegated back to the Joe McDonagh Cup.
On the other hand, you'd think Prince was thinking about the Munster SHC when he wrote the chorus to Nothing compares 2 U, immortalised by our own
What Munster Championship hurling brings is off the charts. Every game is a classic.
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Even Galway couldn't give The Cats much of a game on Saturday which does not bode well for the Leinster Championship as a whole
Clare going 12 behind against Cork? No problem —
Red cards, glorious goals and an epic Easter rising for a Banner that team lay in shreds when the Rebels led 2-15 to 0-9 at half-time.
Thurles wasn't quite full for
But there he was, like he was never away as Shane Dowling's own fairytale return to Championship action was shelved.
Tipp soared, the home support roared and a point for the Premier felt like a victory after a dismal 2024 for the blue and gold.
Marty Morrissey declared Steven Spielberg should come and make a movie about the Munster SHC — and the cinemas would be rammed for that too.
But as the province is lavished with love, Leinster is turning everyone off. As one takes our breath away, the other is dying a death.
If Spielberg goes to Munster, maybe David Attenborough can highlight the dying species next door.
Clare legend Ger 'Sparrow' O'Loughlin bravely suggested in these pages two years ago that the provincial system should be scrapped for the greater good, and that an open draw for two round-robin groups should replace them.
We can all see the logic, but will it ever happen?
As long as Munster mania keeps us all on the edge of our seats, we'll only want more.
Time will tell if Croke Park continues to let Leinster die on its feet.