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Post by malc on Apr 16, 2023 8:49:18 GMT
And to further complicate things, an entirely new format has been introduced for this season, that makes Only Connect look simple! Here's the simplest primer: 16 teams will play in the All-Ireland series comprising: 8 provincial finalists (two from each of the Munster, Leinster, Connacht and Ulster deciders) Westmeath as the 2022 All-Ireland B winners. Finally, the top 7 counties who don't qualify for a provincial final (in practice, these will be from the League Divisions One and Two). These 16 will play in World Cup style groups of four, with the winners automatically making the QFs, the eight second and third-place teams playing single match KO games, and the bottom counties eliminated. After this, it reverts to the traditional single-leg QF, SF and final format. So, quite straight-forward then ... Try having a look at the Spanish lower league play offs if you want complicated. The top 5 teams in all the regional leagues - and there are 18 of those - have to play off including the team who actually won each of the 18 regional leagues for 9 promotion places to higher up the pyramid regional leagues of which - at the last count - there was 6. You can win your league at a canter - as Aguilas are doing in the regional league I watch games in (Murcia) and not go up.
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Post by kerryman on Apr 16, 2023 18:51:20 GMT
Absolutely, though nobody can criticise the football for being either dull or predictable so far! Derry defeated Fermanagh rather routinely, as expected, but today's Tyrone-Monaghan game really was a cracking watch - the home side led by 5 at the break, which would win most games, but Monaghan stormed into a narrow lead, lost it again, before netting the winning goal six minutes into injury-time.
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Post by kerryman on May 8, 2023 14:00:01 GMT
A poignant Munster final yesterday - the mother of Kerry stars Paudie and David Clifford passed away on Saturday, but both elected to line out for their county 24 hours later, with the two brothers notching goals as Kerry prevailed 5-14 to 0-15 against Clare to win their 84th provincial crown. It was similarly one-sided in Castlebar, with Galway defeating Sligo by 14 points to retain the Connacht title.
The groups for the All-Ireland series were drawn last week:
Group 1:
Kerry Losers of Dublin/Louth Mayo Cork
Group 2:
Galway Losers of Derry/Monaghan Tyrone Westmeath
Group 3:
Winners of Dublin/Louth Sligo Roscommon Kildare
Group 4:
Winners of Derry/Monaghan Clare Armagh Donegal
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Post by kerryman on May 8, 2023 14:02:47 GMT
In hurling, the provincial tables are taking shape, with Kilkenny, Galway and either Dublin or Wexford set to progress in Leinster, while Munster is predictably more cut-throat, but Waterford are in most immediate danger of elimination.
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