Aside from the fact that, despite their implosion which has led to three Championship defeats, Derry remaln in contention for Sam Maguire, competition structure is the gift that keeps on giving from a writer’s perspective.
As far as I’m aware, the current system in the All Ireland SFC – Round Robin and then for knockout rounds – has one more year to run in it’s current format before a review.
As much as I dread the current system being trifled with, playing 24 matches to drop four teams defies logic. If the Brains Trust are intent on retaining the provincial championships, play them as pre-season, then intertwine the league and championship.
For it to work, there would have to be a reference year. Akin to what there was when payments to farmers under the Common Agricultural Policy commenced. The methodology being that the value of a farmer’s CAP payment would be calculated via the acerage they were farming in the reference year.
Similarly with this idea, for the first year, the division to which you are allotted to shall be determined from where you finished the previous season. Right, that’s very similar to what was suggested here very recently – but here are a few highly significant differences.
If, as appears to be the case, the scales have tipped back in favour of retention of the provincial championships, let them be run off in the month of January on a knock out basis. Thereafter, start the National League on, say, St Valentine’s weekend.
Therein, you have your four divisions of eight teams, with the top two meeting in the final. As per the situauion currently sits.
Here’s the twist though. Let the consequences of promotion and relegation kick immediately. Again, to some extent, that already is the case, with those who finish in the applicable positions going into the Tailteann Cup. There’s room for expansion into further Cup competitions. For instance, you could have the Teddy McCarthy Cup for the Div. 3 champions and, say, the Paidi O’Se Cup for those who emerge from Div. 4 of the Championship.
To add a twist, if, as would be quite likely, if the ‘new’ divisions resulted in earlier fixtures being repeated, the details could be reversed. For example, if, per se, Meath were away to Roscommon in the NFL, the venues would reverse for the Championship meeting.
Then, if, per se, two teams finished level, by way of deciding who would qualify, if they were two sides that had met earlier in the season, the aggregate score of the two games could be used to separate them. Or, if they were two sides that hadn’t previously crossed paths, score difference would be the obvious means by which to decide who progresses.
If it was left to me, the latter scenario could and would be decided by a play off. But then, the new and (dis) improved GAA seems to have forgotten the hand which fed it for so long – replays. Play offs can go into the same bracket.
Then, in the play off, if the sides remain level after 70 minutes plus extra time, the outcome to be decided by a ’45’ kicking contest. As they are more part of our games than penalties. But, for a degree of extra edge, how about a stipulation that a team’s regular place kicker must not be among those nominated.
All of that came back to mind during the week when contemplating where the Meath ladies are on their journey for the season. It would have to be conceded that it shouldn’t be that big a shock to see their stock diminish from the heady days of two and three years ago. Given the upheaval which has been visited upon their inner sanctum.
Yet, despite it all, the reality is that if they beat Tipperary in their next outing, Shane McCormack’s side will be only two games away from an All Ireland Final. Yes, it’s a long shot, but the fact is, at the time of typing, they still have that shot. It wouldn’t be the first time a Meath team – or even this one – confounds expectations.
Indeed, although defeat was eventually their lot at the Athletic Grounds, the level of performance turned in by those powered by Kepak was such that one would actually be more confident of them doing so than prior to throw in.
Given the circumstances under which Meath entered the match, a good start would’ve been item one on their agenda. Instead, Aoife McCoy had slotted the ball past Monica McGuirk before she or her colleagues had deciphered which way the wind was blowing.
However, to their credit, slowly but surely, the green and gold(en) girls worked themselves back into the game via points from Emma Duggan (three), Megan Thynne, Ciara Smyth and Meadbh Byrne. Meaning that the sides went in level, 0-07 to 1-04 at the half way stage.
When McCoy repeated her trick after the same amount of time in the second half as was the case in the first, again it tested the resolve of this Meath team. Though again they came up with the answers through points from Sarah Wall, Aoibhin Cleary, Smyth and Duggan before somewhat sensationally, Cleary catapulted her county back into the ascendency when fisting a Smyth centre to the net.
Just when it appeared another Meath team had engineered another unlikely act of escapism, it was the locals who instead won the day when corner back Niamh Coleman stole forward and willed a shot inside McGuirk’s right hand post.
Naturally, all within the Meath entourage will have been devastated by the outcome, but, on reflection, it’s quite probable the positives to be gleaned from the assignment were visible too.
Doubtless, akin to the conjecture currently enveloping the men’s Championship, there’s bound to be plenty of derisory discussion pertaining to the fact that – having been beaten twice – the two time All Ireland SFC winners are still in with a chance of adding a third. They didn’t design the competition structure but they would be quietly fancied to take advantage of it.
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