Beat Leitrim and you’re in a provincial final and, at the very least, in Round 4.
Beat Leitrim and you’ll get two shots to make it to Croke Park – all you have to do is win one of them and you’re in a quarter-final. That’s what was asked of Roscommon in 2017. They’re not the only ones.
Kerry have had two games and they’re in the quarter-finals.
Galway have played just once and they too are in a provincial decider.
You might say the Rossies were owed a break considering their championship started in New York last year and they had a trek of a journey through Connacht but, this season, it’s a simple case of beat Leitrim and you’re in a final.
If you don’t win that final against Galway, you’ll have another shot of the last eight because you’re straight into Round 4.
Ahead of the introduction of the Super 8 quarter-final format in 2018, the GAA is in urgent need of overhauling these archaic provincial boundaries which completely handicap some teams and assist others – for no reason other than just because of where they’re from.
And it’s not even about the standard of teams they have to face, it’s the number of games they have to play to get to the same bloody stage in the competition.
Here’s the difference of what a county like Roscommon and one like Monaghan have to do to reach a quarter-final:
It’s absolutely scandalous.
It’s not Roscommon’s fault but they just have to win two games and they’re in the quarter-final. They will play a maximum of three – maybe two – and all they’ll have to do is win two of them.
Monaghan must play six games.
Despite winning more games than Roscommon, they’re now in Round 2. Roscommon have won just once and they’re automatically at least in Round 4.
Because the Farney county have lost already, their path to Croke Park will consist of six matches. Imagine going into a Super 8 format then having played 200% more games than a Connacht or Munster side.
- Kerry have won twice against Clare and Cork and they’re in the quarter-finals already – probably against Mayo.
- Carlow’s fourth game is for a place in Round 3.
- Clare have won two and lost one, now they’ll play Mayo in Round 3.
- Kildare will likely have to play four games to reach the quarters.
- Monaghan, six.
The inconsistency is rife.
It’s bonkers that this is allowed to continue. Counties are on an even keel coming into the championship – well they’re supposed to be – but some have to play way more games than others just to reach the same stage.
There’s no justifiable logic to it. No-one in the GAA could ever stand over this if counties complained to them.
If you think the provincial idea is outdated and ruining the format because of the teams they pit against one another, imagine telling any other fan of a different sport about the difference in the amount of games some sides have to play in Ireland.
“If Monaghan win four straight matches – they’re in the quarters. If they don’t, they’ll have to play six to get there,” you’d try explaining.
“If Roscommon win two games, they’re at the same stage as Monaghan would be after winning five.
“No, Roscommon aren’t better. They’re actually in Division Two now. That’s just the way we do it because we let a provincial series with uneven numbers and uneven competition dictate a 32-county championship.”
And we just do that because that’s the way it has always been.
