The premise for this blog isn't the current structure of the All-Ireland championship. Although not without its flaws, the closing stages of recent All Ireland championships have been enthralling while at the same time, there has been no shortage of skill. The basis for the thinking here is the current structure of club championships all throughout the country.
A system that allows players to begin training and playing league games in February and not finishing until October and November, when the inter county calender has completed in September surely has to be revised. County finals are played out over a span from September through to November (depending on when your county gets knocked out). Then, the teams that succeed within their county go on to compete in their provincial club championships. These last all the way up to the week before Christmas! And success in the provincials is rewarded by training over the Christmas period for a match two months later. Potentially a team can start training in February and not play the final game of the season until the following March. While a victory on Paddy's day will justify everything that's gone before as both St. Brigid's and St. Thomas's found to their credit recently, should a club player's season last a potential 13 months?
The GAA have done very well marketing the All Ireland club finals in recent years and they want to keep up the Patrick's day tradition which is understandable from the marketing side of things but is it fair? Another thing mentioned when people bring up wrapping up the club scene pre-Christmas is the state of the pitches. The final though is played in Croke Park which is playable all year round, right?! However the playing of two matches the night before the All Ireland club finals showed a complete lack of respect towards these games and completely nullified the pitch argument given the state of the surface for the four teams on Paddy's day.
So, while this restructure is based on improving the livelihood of the everyday club player, there is no reason why the changes suggested could not lead to a better championship.
A system that allows players to begin training and playing league games in February and not finishing until October and November, when the inter county calender has completed in September surely has to be revised. County finals are played out over a span from September through to November (depending on when your county gets knocked out). Then, the teams that succeed within their county go on to compete in their provincial club championships. These last all the way up to the week before Christmas! And success in the provincials is rewarded by training over the Christmas period for a match two months later. Potentially a team can start training in February and not play the final game of the season until the following March. While a victory on Paddy's day will justify everything that's gone before as both St. Brigid's and St. Thomas's found to their credit recently, should a club player's season last a potential 13 months?
The GAA have done very well marketing the All Ireland club finals in recent years and they want to keep up the Patrick's day tradition which is understandable from the marketing side of things but is it fair? Another thing mentioned when people bring up wrapping up the club scene pre-Christmas is the state of the pitches. The final though is played in Croke Park which is playable all year round, right?! However the playing of two matches the night before the All Ireland club finals showed a complete lack of respect towards these games and completely nullified the pitch argument given the state of the surface for the four teams on Paddy's day.
So, while this restructure is based on improving the livelihood of the everyday club player, there is no reason why the changes suggested could not lead to a better championship.
