Club Championships 2022 Discussion and Match Reports

[Moderator]

Club calendar for rest of 2022 - Edit on 31 July to reflect current information.

(Note: Munster club championships start 12 November, with finals in early December. It is usual for a county that has reached an All-Ireland final to get byes in all grades to the Munster Semi-Final).

Club championships:

Rd 1: 31 July/7 August;
Rd 2: 13/14 August;
Rd 3: 20/21 August.  Some flexibility here due to hurling county final on 7 August.

Intermediate, Junior Premier and Junior Quarter-finals: 27/28 August
Semi-Finals: 8 October
Finals: 15 or 23 October

Senior Semi-Finals: 27/28 August

Senior Final: TBC

Groups for 2022:

Senior:

A – Spa, Na Gaeil, Dingle, Kenmare

B – Dr. Crokes, Austin Stacks, Kerins O’Rahilly’s, Templenoe

Intermediate:

A – Currow, Ballydonoghue, Gneeveguilla, Beaufort
B – Laune Rangers, Dromid, Killarney Legion, John Mitchels
C – An Ghaeltacht, Kilcummin, Castleisland Desmonds, Glenbeigh/Glencar

D – Miltown/Castlemaine, St. Mary’s, Glenflesk, Rathmore

Junior Premier:

A – St. Senan’s, Churchill, Skellig Rangers, St. Pat’s Blennerville
B – Ballyduff, Annascaul, St. Michael’s/Foilmore, Brosna
C – Keel, Ballymacelligott, Ardfert, Waterville

D – Listry, Castlegregory, Listowel Emmetts, Fossa

Junior:

A – Scartaglin, Cromane, Renard, Moyvane
B – Sneem/Derrynane, Ballylongford, Cordal, Lispole
C – Asdee, Beale, Firies, Tarbert
D – Knocknagoshel, Kilgarvan, Finuge, Duagh

County Championship:

Format: 4 groups of 4, top two in each group to Quarter-Finals; Group draw will take place in second week of August.

Rd 1: 10/11 September
Rd 2: 17/18 September

Rd 3: 24/25 September

Quarter-finals: 8/9 October

Semi-finals: 16 October

Final: 30 October, replay if needed on 5 November.

District Board championships can start in October, pending club availability.

Edit on 31 July to reflect current information.

[peanuts]

Are there Groups for the County Championship?

[Moderator]

I’m not sure what format the County Championship will take in 2022.

As soon as something is confirmed, I will post the information.

Of course, the above schedule is subject to change by those in charge for any range of reasons.

[mossie]

Jul 26, 2022 16:30:12 GMT peanuts said:

Are there Groups for the County Championship?

I heard that but cant see where they fit in that calendar for the county championship to be finished in time for Munster club

[mossie]

Jul 25, 2022 23:01:30 GMT Moderator said:

Edit: Moderator deleted out of date list...

county hurling final the 7th august

Causeway have players who kick ball for Na Gaeil, Ardfert and Ballyduff

Ballyduff are dual

what happens here?

[Moderator]

First round of Club championship fixtures:

Senior

Group 1
Spa V Dingle Aug 6th in Strand Rd @ 7pm
Na Gaeil V Kenmare Shamrocks Aug 6th in Lewis Road@ 7pm

Group 2
Austin Stacks V Templenoe Aug 7th in Direen @ 1pm
Dr. Crokes V Kerins O Rahilly’s Aug 7th in Castleisland @ 1pm

Intermediate

Group 1
Ballydonoghue V Gneeveguilla Aug 7th in Brosna @ 1pm
Beaufort V Currow July 30th in Spa @ 7pm

Group 2
Dromid Pearses V John Mitchels Aug 6th in Glenbeigh @ 7pm
Killarney Legion V Laune Rangers July 31st in Beaufort @ 2pm

Group 3
An Ghaeltacht V Glenbeigh/Glencar Aug 7th in Keel @ 1pm
Castleisland Desmonds V Kilcummin Aug 6th in Currow @ 7pm

Group 4
Milltown/Castlemaine V Glenflesk Aug 6th in Fossa @ 7pm
Rathmore V St Mary’s July 31st in Glenbeigh @2pm

Junior Premier

Group 1
Skellig Rangers V St. Senan’s July 31st in Milltown @ 2pm
Churchill V St. Pat’s Blenerville July 30th in Connolly Park @ 7pm

Group 2
St Michael’s/Foilmore V Annascaul July 31st in Cromane @ 2pm
Brosna V Ballyduff TBC

Group 3
Ardfert V Ballymacelligott July 31st in John Mitchels @ 2pm
Waterville V Keel July 30th in Foilmore @ 7pm

Group 4
Listry V Castlegregory Aug 6th in Blenerville @ 7pm
Listowel Emmets V Fossa July 31st in Na Gaeil @ 2pm

Junior

1st name team at home in Rd 1

Group 1
Scartaglin V Cromane July 30th @ 7pm
Moyvane V Renard July 31st @ 2pm

Group 2
Lispole V Ballylongford July 31st @ 2pm
Sneem/Derrynane V Cordal July 30th in Derrynane @ 3.30pm

Group 3
Tarbert V Beale July 31st @ 2pm
Asdee V Firies July 30th @ 7.30pm

Group 4:
Knocknagoshal V Kilgarvan July 30th @ 7pm

Duagh V Finuge July 31st @ 2pm

Edit: Always check that the game is actually on and the venue/time is correct before travel...information is second-hand.

[Moderator]

To answer mossie regarding the hurling on Aug 7...Ballyduff and Ardfert have no football that weekend, while Na Gaeil play the night before.

[blacksheep21]

It would be good if some of the games in the coming weeks were streamed.

[Moderator]

Opening post updated to reflect current information, as of 31 July.

Hopefully I can catch any future updates too...but always check other sources to be certain of fixture dates and so on before committing to travel etc.

[jerryewe]

Just wondering if the Co. Board will be putting the programs back on their website like they did last year? I’m living abroad so found that a great way to see who was lining out with teams and to keep track of players coming through

[homerj]

Dunno what the big rush is, half the county on holidays at some stage in the next 6 weeks, a heap of players travelling and so on.

One minor 4 week injury and lads miss pretty much entire year.

The format of games in April worked well before, gaa loves change for the sake of it

[Moderator]

To run the club championships takes 6 weeks total: 3 weeks for group games and 3 more for quarterfinals, semi-finals and final.

County championship this year will be the same - 6 weeks.

So 12 weeks required, since you can hardly double them up (luck of the draw might allow it, but you can't really plan for it).

We have August, September and October to run these two competitions, as Munster Club competitions will start the weekend of 12/13 November. County Final Replay, if needed, is slotted in for 5 November, so no great celebrations if a club team wins it.

Was it better with the club championships in April/May is the big question that club players will be able to answer at Christmas.

[Mickmack]

Jul 25, 2022 23:01:30 GMT Moderator said:

Club calendar for rest of 2022 - Edit on 31 July to reflect current information.

(Note: Munster club championships start 12 November, with finals in early December. It is usual for a county that has reached an All-Ireland final to get byes in all grades to the Munster Semi-Final).

Club championships:

Rd 1: 31 July/7 August;
Rd 2: 13/14 August;
Rd 3: 20/21 August.  Some flexibility here due to hurling county final on 7 August.

Intermediate, Junior Premier and Junior Quarter-finals: 27/28 August
Semi-Finals: 8 October
Finals: 15 or 23 October

Senior Semi-Finals: 27/28 August

Senior Final: TBC

Groups for 2022:

Senior:

A – Spa, Na Gaeil, Dingle, Kenmare

B – Dr. Crokes, Austin Stacks, Kerins O’Rahilly’s, Templenoe

Intermediate:

A – Currow, Ballydonoghue, Gneeveguilla, Beaufort
B – Laune Rangers, Dromid, Killarney Legion, John Mitchels
C – An Ghaeltacht, Kilcummin, Castleisland Desmonds, Glenbeigh/Glencar

D – Miltown/Castlemaine, St. Mary’s, Glenflesk, Rathmore

Junior Premier:

A – St. Senan’s, Churchill, Skellig Rangers, St. Pat’s Blennerville
B – Ballyduff, Annascaul, St. Michael’s/Foilmore, Brosna
C – Keel, Ballymacelligott, Ardfert, Waterville

D – Listry, Castlegregory, Listowel Emmetts, Fossa

Junior:

A – Scartaglin, Cromane, Renard, Moyvane
B – Sneem/Derrynane, Ballylongford, Cordal, Lispole
C – Asdee, Beale, Firies, Tarbert
D – Knocknagoshel, Kilgarvan, Finuge, Duagh

County Championship:

Format: 4 groups of 4, top two in each group to Quarter-Finals; Group draw will take place in second week of August.

Rd 1: 10/11 September
Rd 2: 17/18 September

Rd 3: 24/25 September

Quarter-finals: 8/9 October

Semi-finals: 16 October

Final: 30 October, replay if needed on 5 November.

District Board championships can start in October, pending club availability.

Edit on 31 July to reflect current information.

[Mickmack]

Just thinking aloud here and i am sure many will say that they dont agree which is fine but here goes anyaway;

by the 28th August, 4 clubs will be in the club championship semi finals having played 3 matches.

Is there merit in running a separate competition purely for divisional teams to end up with the final 4 teams left standing.

So we now will have 8 teams...4 clubs team and 4 divisional teams.

At that point put the 8 names in a hat and end up with 4 Quarter finals for the county championship.

The rationale is to try to cut down on the number of tough games for county players and prevent burnout.

[clarinman]

Aug 2, 2022 7:46:33 GMT Mickmack said:

Just thinking aloud here and i am sure many will say that they dont agree which is fine but here goes anyaway;

by the 28th August, 4 clubs will be in the club championship semi finals having played 3 matches.

Is there merit in running a separate competition purely for divisional teams to end up with the final 4 teams left standing.

So we now will have 8 teams...4 clubs team and 4 divisional teams.

At that point put the 8 names in a hat and end up with 4 Quarter finals for the county championship.

The rationale is to try to cut down on the number of tough games for county players and prevent burnout.

This does not ease the burden for divisional players who also play club championship at intermediate or junior level.

[Mickmack]

Aug 2, 2022 8:40:25 GMT clarinman said:

Aug 2, 2022 7:46:33 GMT Mickmack said:

Just thinking aloud here and i am sure many will say that they dont agree which is fine but here goes anyaway;

by the 28th August, 4 clubs will be in the club championship semi finals having played 3 matches.

Is there merit in running a separate competition purely for divisional teams to end up with the final 4 teams left standing.

So we now will have 8 teams...4 clubs team and 4 divisional teams.

At that point put the 8 names in a hat and end up with 4 Quarter finals for the county championship.

The rationale is to try to cut down on the number of tough games for county players and prevent burnout.

This does not ease the burden for divisional players who also play club championship at intermediate or junior level.

You are correct.

But it does for players of the 8 senior clubs. Its not perfect but if would ease the burden on a lot of the county panel. Perfection is the enemy of the good etc.

Most counties have just one competition ... for clubs.


In 2023 there are going to be even more championship games at inter county level.

Its untenable to expect elite players to play so many games.

In my view anyway.

[clarinman]

Aug 2, 2022 9:03:21 GMT Mickmack said:

Aug 2, 2022 8:40:25 GMT clarinman said:

This does not ease the burden for divisional players who also play club championship at intermediate or junior level.

You are correct.

But it does for players of the 8 senior clubs. Its perfect but if would ease the burden on a lot of the county panel. Perfection is the enemy of the good etc.

Most counties have just one competition ... for clubs.


In 2023 there are going to be even more championship games at inter county level.

Its untenable to expect elite players to play so many games.

In my view anyway.

6 of the 15 who started the all Ireland final play intermediate or junior club. I don't agree that it's right to distinguish between senior/intermediate/junior county players. Limiting the number of games that senior club players play compared to their intermediate/junior colleagues may open the floodgates for transfer requests to senior clubs.

The Galway county championship this year has 3 groups of 6. Each team will play 5 games before the quarter finals. That's 8 games for the 2 finalists. Not much different to the number of games that the Kerry lads will play.

Your point on most counties having one club championship is true and this has been debated many times on this forum. On this point, do you think Paudie Clifford would have made the breakthrough for Kerry if not for his displays for East Kerry in 2019 and 2020?

[mossie]

Aug 2, 2022 9:36:34 GMT clarinman said:

Aug 2, 2022 9:03:21 GMT Mickmack said:

You are correct.

But it does for players of the 8 senior clubs. Its perfect but if would ease the burden on a lot of the county panel. Perfection is the enemy of the good etc.

Most counties have just one competition ... for clubs.


In 2023 there are going to be even more championship games at inter county level.

Its untenable to expect elite players to play so many games.

In my view anyway.

6 of the 15 who started the all Ireland final play intermediate or junior club. I don't agree that it's right to distinguish between senior/intermediate/junior county players. Limiting the number of games that senior club players play compared to their intermediate/junior colleagues may open the floodgates for transfer requests to senior clubs.

The Galway county championship this year has 3 groups of 6. Each team will play 5 games before the quarter finals. That's 8 games for the 2 finalists. Not much different to the number of games that the Kerry lads will play.

Your point on most counties having one club championship is true and this has been debated many times on this forum. On this point, do you think Paudie Clifford would have made the breakthrough for Kerry if not for his displays for East Kerry in 2019 and 2020?

sure in Mick Mack's format, Paudie would get at least 3 games for EK in the group format and 6 if they won the competition. He is actually guaranteed more games in Mick Mack format than he was in the 2019\2020 format!

[Mickmack]

Aug 2, 2022 9:36:34 GMT clarinman said:

Aug 2, 2022 9:03:21 GMT Mickmack said:

You are correct.

But it does for players of the 8 senior clubs. Its perfect but if would ease the burden on a lot of the county panel. Perfection is the enemy of the good etc.

Most counties have just one competition ... for clubs.


In 2023 there are going to be even more championship games at inter county level.

Its untenable to expect elite players to play so many games.

In my view anyway.

6 of the 15 who started the all Ireland final play intermediate or junior club. I don't agree that it's right to distinguish between senior/intermediate/junior county players. Limiting the number of games that senior club players play compared to their intermediate/junior colleagues may open the floodgates for transfer requests to senior clubs.

The Galway county championship this year has 3 groups of 6. Each team will play 5 games before the quarter finals. That's 8 games for the 2 finalists. Not much different to the number of games that the Kerry lads will play.

Your point on most counties having one club championship is true and this has been debated many times on this forum. On this point, do you think Paudie Clifford would have made the breakthrough for Kerry if not for his displays for East Kerry in 2019 and 2020?

All valid points.

I suppose my point in essence is that players who started off in the McGrath cup in January played league matches, trained and played all summer up to 24/7/22 and some, not all, will continue right up to 30th October.

There will be more inter county games in 2023.

So i am asking is whether the bits that KCB can control can be done better.

[clarinman]

Aug 2, 2022 10:38:48 GMT Mickmack said:

Aug 2, 2022 9:36:34 GMT clarinman said:

6 of the 15 who started the all Ireland final play intermediate or junior club. I don't agree that it's right to distinguish between senior/intermediate/junior county players. Limiting the number of games that senior club players play compared to their intermediate/junior colleagues may open the floodgates for transfer requests to senior clubs.

The Galway county championship this year has 3 groups of 6. Each team will play 5 games before the quarter finals. That's 8 games for the 2 finalists. Not much different to the number of games that the Kerry lads will play.

Your point on most counties having one club championship is true and this has been debated many times on this forum. On this point, do you think Paudie Clifford would have made the breakthrough for Kerry if not for his displays for East Kerry in 2019 and 2020?

All valid points.

I suppose my point in essence is that players who started off in the McGrath cup in January played league matches, trained and played all summer up to 24/7/22 and some, not all, will continue right up to 30th October.

There will be more inter county games in 2023.

So i am asking is whether the bits that KCB can control can be done better.

I think this needs to be looked at at county board level and also re-looked at a national level regarding the split season. It's ridiculous that the Clifford's, Shane Ryan and Paul Murphy were playing club championship one week after the all Ireland final. Does anyone know why some club games were played last weekend while the majority of first round fixtures are scheduled for this weekend?

There is also a lot of disquiet among club players about how they are given no break in this so called split season. Clubs went back training in January, divisional leagues started in February. County League started in march and ran through to July. Club championships started for some last weekend. The divisional championships will run into December. Many club players I have talked to are looking for something like a month in summer where no club games can be arranged. That at least gives them a definite slot to plan holidays etc. Is the solution to get rid of the divisional leagues? Maybe reduce the county league division size to less than 12 teams.

[onlykerry]

Congestion is inevitable with the number of competitions - particularly when you factor in that club championships are feeder competitions into provincial and national and have deadlines to allow teams to go forward. Layer on top of that the fact Kerry runs two championships which have gone to a champions league style because straight knock out has become unfashionable and somehow considered unfair given the amount of preparation teams put in.

Its the same pool of players and at club level there are dual players to add to the mix - lads can be pulled and dragged particularly the talented lads that are playing club county and possibly colleges.

There are still only 52 weekends in the year but we keep adding games - that is why the calendar is the way it is.

An additional factor is the level of preparation so many teams are putting in - no coach wants his players interrupting preparations with two weeks eating, drinking and soaking up the sun and the county managers disliked the April break with lads frequently under pressure to skip club games.

[tman59]

These clubs asked for these games to be on that weekend due to weddings on the weekend after. This is why! Them teams are now off this weekend.

Do ye not think these Kerry players want to play for their clubs? A lot of these players love playing for their clubs and 99% of players in Kerry don't play inter county and they deserve a run of competitive games too. It's not all about our inter county team. We have 2 great competitions, the club championship & co championship in which players love playing in.

[clarinman]

Aug 2, 2022 16:21:21 GMT tman59 said:

These clubs asked for these games to be on that weekend due to weddings on the weekend after. This is why! Them teams are now off this weekend.

Do ye not think these Kerry players want to play for their clubs? A lot of these players love playing for their clubs and 99% of players in Kerry don't play inter county and they deserve a run of competitive games too. It's not all about our inter county team. We have 2 great competitions, the club championship & co championship in which players love playing in.

Thanks for clarifying why the games were played last weekend. I think the club and county championship are great competitions. My point is that many clubs are going from February to December when you include the county league, divisional league and divisional championship. That's too many club competitions and the club players need a break in their season.

[Moderator]

Aug 2, 2022 17:10:32 GMT clarinman said:

Aug 2, 2022 16:21:21 GMT tman59 said:

These clubs asked for these games to be on that weekend due to weddings on the weekend after. This is why! Them teams are now off this weekend.

Do ye not think these Kerry players want to play for their clubs? A lot of these players love playing for their clubs and 99% of players in Kerry don't play inter county and they deserve a run of competitive games too. It's not all about our inter county team. We have 2 great competitions, the club championship & co championship in which players love playing in.

Thanks for clarifying why the games were played last weekend. I think the club and county championship are great competitions. My point is that many clubs are going from February to December when you include the county league, divisional league and divisional championship. That's too many club competitions and the club players need a break in their season.

The answer probably lies with the demands of the club manager and the expectations/reality of what the County League is...very much third ranked competition behind County Championship and Club Championship, and maybe behind District Championship for a lot of clubs as well. 

Deciding when to up the training in quality and frequency should be the main decision made by managers. 

One would think that an early season body of work followed by relatively lighter/fewer sessions to mid-summer would be in place.  Time to pick up the pace in July for the August/Sept run of games, with continuation for the District competition in Nov/Dec? 

Lads getting dropped for missing County League games due to a holiday should not be entertained.

Of course, if some managers are getting expenses per session, that presents a conflict straight away.  Would any club executive team be able to decide a training schedule and just hand it to an incoming manager for implementation?  

Maybe no training until June is needed!

[Kerry GAA Officer]

Yes all programmes will be online this weekend! Delighted to hear you are happy with this service!

quote author="jerryewe" source="/post/266654/thread" timestamp="1659368358"]Just wondering if the Co. Board will be putting the programs back on their website like they did last year? I’m living abroad so found that a great way to see who was lining out with teams and to keep track of players coming through [/quote]

[kerrybhoy06]

Aug 2, 2022 7:46:33 GMT Mickmack said:

Just thinking aloud here and i am sure many will say that they dont agree which is fine but here goes anyaway;

by the 28th August, 4 clubs will be in the club championship semi finals having played 3 matches.

Is there merit in running a separate competition purely for divisional teams to end up with the final 4 teams left standing.

So we now will have 8 teams...4 clubs team and 4 divisional teams.

At that point put the 8 names in a hat and end up with 4 Quarter finals for the county championship.

The rationale is to try to cut down on the number of tough games for county players and prevent burnout.

I’d be interested in giving this a go to be honest as I think some of the divisional sides are very poor at times and should be eliminated in a preliminary competition/

However I will temper that with the fact that it will lead to less matches and, as a supporter, I love seeing as many matches as I can

[kerrybhoy06]

I’m not sure has it been covered here but will any games be streamed this year?

[Mickmack]

Ballyduff GAA Club facing three championship games in six days – ‘it’s disappointing we've been put in this position’
Club secretary Michael Hussey says he doesn’t see why ‘we should be punished for making it to a County Hurling Final’



Damian Stack

August 02 2022 05:38 PM

Ballyduff GAA club secretary Michael Hussey has expressed his disappointment and frustration at the situation which will see the club play three championship games in the space of six days starting with next Sunday’s County Senior Hurling Final in Austin Stack Park.

The club will be back in action just three days after this weekend’s final with Causeway in the Premier Junior Football Championship on Wednesday when they’re due to face Brosna in Listowel’s Frank Sheehy Park at 7.30pm.

The club will be back in action again three days later against either Annascaul or St Michaels Foilmore, depending on whether they win or lose against Brosna. It was at the club’s request that the weekend game be on Saturday rather than Sunday with players due to travel on holiday late next week.

“It’s just disappointing that we’ve been put in this position really,” Hussey told The Kerryman on Tuesday afternoon.


“It’s hard enough trying to keep things going and trying to keep the dual, the hurling and football going, and then when you make a county final you’re struck with this. It’s just tough.

“It’s tough on the football side more than anything else as you’re going to play your hurling final, we’d played four weekends in-a-row up to last weekend in the hurling as it was.

“What you hear back from the County Board is that’s what you have to deal with as a dual club, but just looking at the fixtures calendar that’s come out I definitely think there’s space that they could have gone back another week and given us a full week…

“I don’t see why we should be punished for making it to a County Hurling Final. That’s the way I look at it. And it’s not two or three fellas who cross over, there’s probably just three or four who don’t play either or. The majority of players are playing both.”



×
Ballyduff’s players have expressed their frustration about the situation, Hussey explained.

“They’ve been on to us [the club’s officials] saying why don’t we just call off the game and I’m saying, you just don’t call off games like. It’s as simple as that. They’re obviously annoyed.

“Especially the boys who were inside with Kerry since last November, the Kerry hurlers, wearing the Kerry jersey all year, doing themselves and their club and county proud. Then they turn around and they get treated like that. It’s just very unfair.


“I’m sure they could find a couple of days in the calendar. It’s just very unfair from our point of view. I appreciate Peter Twiss [County Board Secretary] and the CCC have a job to do, but it’s just very disappointing.”

A similar situation occurred last year with Ardfert having to play Castleisland Desmonds in the Intermediate championship after the County Senior Hurling Final, which sister club St Brendans participated in.

There’s growing frustration within the hurling community in the county that the hurling is being squeezed, in their view, at the expense of the big ball code.

“We’ve looked at the fixtures, we believe there is weekends,” Hussey continued.

“There’s definitely weekends in the County Football Championship that there’s gaps between semi-finals and quarter-finals that weren’t there for the hurling, but are there now for the football.

“We had meetings with the County Board earlier on in the year about the hurling championship being played off so early and so quick and we were told there’s no time, but now we see weekends all over the place.

“And the format for the County Football Championship has changed, now it’s a group stage and a extra round or two in that. I don’t know, it’s the hurling clubs that’s been pushed to the side once again.

“Now the County Football Championship has gone to a group phase so there’s more games in that, the way the hurling clubs feel is that hurling has been condensed down more and more. It’s just disappointing.”

[mossie]

I have come around to the trail of thought that the county board have little avenue but to play the hurling championship when they do. Kerry exited the inter county championship a week before wexford and the wexford hurling final is also on Sunday. Carlow hurling final is also on. Also, the hurling clubs need to embrace the NK hurling championship which starts now to get more games in the late summer\autumn

However, was any thought given to the impact on hurling when the county club football championships went to groups of 4 and county senior football championship went to groups of 4? It has put a squeeze on the calendar for dual players and dual clubs. It is hard on dual clubs and even harder on a dual player that may play hurling with one club football with another.

I dont think anyone thought of or perhaps cared enough to think of the impact the groups stages of the football championships competitions would have on hurling. I have posted before with extra matches in the club football championships and county senior football championship is an 11 game county league really still necessary? put in an extra division and have a 9 game league. Free up a bit of time for hurling and even the district board football leagues.

In summary,the hurling clubs need to embrace what the new split season has brought and get their head around that the hurling championship is going to be played at the time it is now, however no doubt there has been just a bit too much of a squeeze put on and the board could give a little on that front. very small things would help

Mick Mack put up an interesting proposal earlier which is worthy of consideration, my county league one has merit or at least I think it has!

I wonder do the senior football clubs really want all the matches? ! 11 county league games , 3 club championship( minimum 3 as nearly all clubs will get 4 as they will be advancing to semi finals or a relegation play off), then 3 county championship matches minimum. That is a serious amount of matches, before one even counts in district board league and championships!

[mossie]

Ballyduff are not alone

Kilgarvan played junior football last sunday, play intermediate hurling final ( wed night) and then football championship Sunday. To be honest I think it is terrible the intermediate hurling is not the curtain raiser to the senior final on Sunday. At the moment there is no curtain raiser listed, perhaps the minor shield final between Ballyheigue and Kenmare\Kilgarvan could be played as a curtain raiser?

Finuge has football last weekend, Lixnaw had NK hurling Monday night and Finuge football again this Sunday

The above also happens in other counties I expect

no easy solutions though MickMack ideas and mine would help