Here we go again.
New championship, same arguments.
Here’s what happens when a team gets hammered.
'What this shows is the idea of a proper championship is a farce' https://t.co/sVCxUtSq8T #RTEgaa pic.twitter.com/cLkvrl8jnA
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) June 25, 2017
Here’s what happens when a team stops themselves from getting hammered.
Dublin 0-2 Derry 0-3…. Half time…… That's not football
— Tomás Ó Sé (@tomas5ky) March 28, 2015
If your problem with the championship this week isn’t defensive football but, rather, one-sided affairs, how would splitting the thing into A and B actually solve anything?
Put it this way, if the championship was divided two ways in 2017 based off the top two divisions of the national league and the bottom two divisions of the national league, you’d still have had these results.
- Laois 4-15 Longford 0-16
- Kildare 2-16 Meath 0-13
- Tyrone 0-22 Derry 0-11
- Monaghan 1-20 Fermanagh 1-11
And it’s only June still.
If the championship was divided in two this summer, you’d have Fermanagh, Derry, Clare and Cork trying to mix it with Dublin, Kerry, Tyrone and Mayo. You’d still have one-sided encounters. And the same would go for the second tier.
The below was written two years ago. It still applies today.
Split the championship in two: 4 teams in the A grade and 29 in the other? via @SportsJOEdotie http://t.co/60pjIUNgbc pic.twitter.com/h7HdtCvEa8
— JOE.ie (@JOEdotie) August 2, 2015
Listen, the championship in its current structure makes no sense.
The provincial idea is completely outdated and it’s entirely unfair forcing some counties to come through a 12-team tournament and the other through a 6-team format to get to the same stage. Then keeping them in those groups every single year doesn’t really add up either – that’s just how it has always been done.
And, yes, the league is class now. It’s a good competition we have. But can we not just enjoy that rather than wanting to make it the championship because the idea of making the league the prime summer competition is even crazier than the A and B proposal.
Imagine being told you’re in a D championship next year. How would that help All-Ireland football?
How would that give anyone much of an incentive?
How would that excite the public when only 5,823 people bothered their arses showing up to the Division 3 and 4 finals in Croke Park in April? When Tipperary and Westmeath actually won novel silverware.
When the pair, funnily enough, won their respective finals by a combined total of 22 points in front of empty stands.
The league is a good competition but the GAA is a championship sport and an All-Ireland, inter-county competition demands that everyone should have a crack at the big time.
Can we not just have two very good competitions? The league as it is – because that was very enjoyable for three months – and a better championship structure than the current one.
The problem at the minute isn’t even these hammering sessions – they happen in every sport, especially in tournament-style sports – it’s how long we’re waiting in between. The championship started six weeks ago and Dublin won’t play in an All-Ireland quarter-final for another six weeks. That’s 12 weeks without being properly tested and that’s what pisses everyone off and makes this whole format seem pointless.
The only possible solution is to have eight groups of four – seeded into 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th tier counties. Run the group games off over three or four weeks to limit the apathy. The top two qualify for the last 16 of the A championship and the bottom two go into the last 16 of the B championship and, like most sports, the best will meet their toughest challenges the longer the tournament goes on.
Crucially though, everyone gets another chance at Sam the next year and every year. If they don’t cut it, then they can go for the B championship – but after the group stages.
The reality of splitting the championship indefinitely means cutting counties off from the big time forever. It means no more Dublin v Carlow, no more dark horses going on an unexpected run and no more drive or fever in those counties who realistically won’t make it through the divisions to ever have another day in the sun next to the best of them.
Some people would argue that winning a second or third or fourth rate competition is better for them that getting pummelled by Dublin. But ask Tipperary if they enjoyed shocking the country last summer and putting it up to Mayo in the All-Ireland semi-final more than they enjoyed winning a Division Three title in front of 5,823 bloody people.
We’re kidding ourselves if we say a split wouldn’t bring with it more disinterest and more apathy and be worse for football in the long run.
We’re kidding ourselves if we think a split would even solve any of the problems we’re crying about.
Promote the league more, rattle off the championship a lot more quickly. Outside of that, you’re not going to stop many hammerings and you’re not going to help any counties by cutting them adrift.
Unsatisfying? A little. Realistic? Unfortunately.
