LEINSTER GAA CHAIRMAN Derek Kent has called for the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals to be scrapped from the hurling calendar.
That stage of the championship, pitting the Joe McDonagh Cup finalists against the third-placed teams in Munster and Leinster, has been dominated by one-sided clashes in recent years.
Kent, speaking yesterday at the Leinster hurling championship launch in Kilkenny, feels those pairings are not promoting the game effectively and thinks hurling would be better served by creating a window in the schedule for potential provincial hurling final replays.
The issue of allowing for replays if provincial and All-Ireland finals end in draws, was raised at GAA Congress in February, but with the measures not applying until 2026, it was decided to defer to Special Congress in October.
“The way our calendar is struggled nationally – I believe it’s time to have a provincial final replay whether it be in hurling or football,” said Kent.
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“We have a (an All-Ireland) preliminary quarter-final and in the last five or six years, the Joe McDonagh Cups teams have been beaten by an average of 22 points.
“There’s no promotion of hurling in that and that is a week that we give back to any provincial championship, whether it be Munster or Leinster, for a provincial final replay and I think that’s something that we should look at seriously.”
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All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final results
2022
Antrim 2-19 Cork 3-27
Kerry 0-18 Wexford 3-30
2023
Offaly 3-18 Tipperary 7-38
Carlow 0-21 Dublin 2-25
2024
Laois 0-20 Wexford 0-32
Offaly 3-19 Cork 4-25
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Leinster Council chairman Derek Kent Leah Scholes / INPHO
Leah Scholes / INPHO / INPHO
With the profile of the Munster championship continuing to increase, Kent defended the Leinster counterpart and believes they offer ‘good value’ to fans with their pricing in the wake of Munster tickets being increased to €35 for stand and €30 for terrace.
“The championship in Leinster, I appreciate that we are perceived as the weaker province and that is the commentary out there, but I certainly welcome Antrim and Galway here today. I believe they have and will enhance our championship.
“I also believe that the structure of our competition is good value. We charge €25 for each championship game, tops, we don’t envisage going up in the near future. We give good value.
“We have seven weeks in the championship, we have the best game in the world and we’re going to run it off in seven weeks in Leinster. It’s difficult but that’s where we are.”
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Call for All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals to be scrapped from hurling calendar
LEINSTER GAA CHAIRMAN Derek Kent has called for the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals to be scrapped from the hurling calendar.
That stage of the championship, pitting the Joe McDonagh Cup finalists against the third-placed teams in Munster and Leinster, has been dominated by one-sided clashes in recent years.
Kent, speaking yesterday at the Leinster hurling championship launch in Kilkenny, feels those pairings are not promoting the game effectively and thinks hurling would be better served by creating a window in the schedule for potential provincial hurling final replays.
The issue of allowing for replays if provincial and All-Ireland finals end in draws, was raised at GAA Congress in February, but with the measures not applying until 2026, it was decided to defer to Special Congress in October.
“The way our calendar is struggled nationally – I believe it’s time to have a provincial final replay whether it be in hurling or football,” said Kent.
“We have a (an All-Ireland) preliminary quarter-final and in the last five or six years, the Joe McDonagh Cups teams have been beaten by an average of 22 points.
“There’s no promotion of hurling in that and that is a week that we give back to any provincial championship, whether it be Munster or Leinster, for a provincial final replay and I think that’s something that we should look at seriously.”
*****
All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final results
2022
2023
2024
*****
With the profile of the Munster championship continuing to increase, Kent defended the Leinster counterpart and believes they offer ‘good value’ to fans with their pricing in the wake of Munster tickets being increased to €35 for stand and €30 for terrace.
“The championship in Leinster, I appreciate that we are perceived as the weaker province and that is the commentary out there, but I certainly welcome Antrim and Galway here today. I believe they have and will enhance our championship.
“I also believe that the structure of our competition is good value. We charge €25 for each championship game, tops, we don’t envisage going up in the near future. We give good value.
“We have seven weeks in the championship, we have the best game in the world and we’re going to run it off in seven weeks in Leinster. It’s difficult but that’s where we are.”
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All-Ireland Change GAA Hurling Leinster Munster