Relegation/Promotion

[Treasurer]

Hurling championship facing relegation chaos over Antrim 'guarantee'

By Martin Breheny

Tuesday July 07 2009

A major complication has arisen which threatens to cause chaos with the plan to relegate one county from the All-Ireland SHC for next year and replace them with the winners of next Saturday's Christy Ring Cup final.

Several counties could be dragged into the confusion, the extent of which has only now become apparent. It's understood that the Central Competitions Control Committee has sought guidance from the Management Committee as the draw for the first series of relegation games is due to be made next Sunday.

Central to the problem is the guarantee which Antrim understood they were given when they entered the Leinster championship that they would remain there for an initial three-year period and that they would also remain in the McCarthy Cup elite tier.

However, another motion which was passed at Congress last April stipulates that one county will be automatically relegated from the 12-county strong McCarthy Cup tier and replaced by the Christy Ring Cup winners. Prior to this, the Ring Cup winners played the bottom team in the McCarthy Cup section to decide placings for the following season.

Down and Carlow meet in the Ring Cup final at Croke Park next Saturday with the winners heading for the All-Ireland SHC next year. However, if Antrim are guaranteed not to be demoted even if they finish bottom of this year's McCarthy Cup section, will there be 13 teams involved next year? And if the Saffrons are immune from relegation, what's the point of playing relegation games at all?

As things stand, Antrim, Offaly and the losers of Clare-Galway and Wexford-Limerick are due to play off in two relegation semi-finals on July 18. The beaten pair from those games play off, with the losers (in theory) dropping to Christy Ring Cup level.

unfair

The automatic interchange between the McCarthy Cup and Ring Cup arises from a Westmeath motion which argued that it was unfair not to reward the tier-two winners with guaranteed promotion. It was passed last April and Central Council later decided that it should apply from this year on.

However, Antrim chairman Dr John McSparran said they had been given a three-year guarantee in Leinster, irrespective of how they fared in the McCarthy Cup.

"Some of the motions that were passed seem to be contradictory but, as far as we're concerned, we're in Leinster and the McCarthy Cup for three years. Besides, I don't see how it benefits anybody to drop down a tier. We're all trying to promote the game and the best way of doing that is to play it at the highest level," he said.

To add to the complication, there's no provision for Down to play in the Leinster championship if they win the Ring Cup, although they would be eligible to play in the McCarthy Cup in 2010. It's all highly confusing and needs to be sorted out quickly, although resolving it won't be easy.

Even if Antrim had been given no guarantees about remaining in Leinster and were prepared to take their chances in a relegation battle, it could still lead to difficulties if the Ulster men survived the play-offs involving themselves, Offaly, Wexford or Limerick and Galway or Clare.

If Offaly, Galway, Wexford, Clare or Limerick were to be relegated it would seriously distort the Leinster or Munster championships.

Indeed, if Offaly or Limerick were relegated it would create the ludicrous situation where a Division One team wasn't eligible to compete for the McCarthy Cup.

Wexford, Clare or Galway wouldn't take kindly to relegation either, especially since they wouldn't have had a chance to play the Ring Cup winners.

Given their standing after losing to Laois last Saturday, Antrim look most likely to finish bottom of the relegation pile if it's played off, but where does that leave their guarantee of being allowed to remain in Leinster?

Westmeath and Carlow, the last two winners of the Christy Ring Cup, were annoyed at their exclusion from the Leinster championship this year on the basis that it was unfair to bar them while welcoming in Antrim and Galway.

If Carlow beat Down in the Ring Cup final on Saturday, they will gain automatic entry to Leinster and McCarthy Cup next year but Westmeath will continue to be excluded.

"I can understand perfectly why Westmeath and Carlow were annoyed over not being allowed to play in Leinster while two outsiders were. As things stand, there's an awful lot of confusion around about relegation and other issues," said McSparran.

Antrim will strongly resist any attempt to remove them from the Leinster and McCarthy Cup championships if they finish bottom of the relegation pile.

"We played in the Christy Ring before and winning it did very little for us. We want to play as high up as we possibly can," McSparran said.

While relegation is still a threat over Antrim and some others, Laois' stock has soared after their win on Saturday guaranteed them McCarthy Cup status next year.

It was a significant success for Niall Rigney and his men, who had been favourites to make the drop after twice losing to Antrim earlier in the season.
UPS AND DOWNS

Q: Who drops from the Liam McCarthy Cup championship?

A: In theory, it's the team that finishes bottom of the relegation play-offs.

Q: So what's the problem?

A: Antrim insist that they were guaranteed three years in the Leinster and Liam McCarthy Cup championships when the system was changed at Special Congress last autumn, so if they finish last in the relegation play-offs, they will resist demotion.

Q: What if Antrim don't finish bottom of the pile?

A: Then one of the following will: Offaly, Wexford, Limerick, Clare, Galway. There would be uproar if any of them were relegated, especially as they would be replaced by Down or Carlow, who would be deemed inferior.

Q: How has this problem arisen?

A: The wording of motions dealing with the introduction of the new system, coupled with subsequent interpretations, has led to all sorts of confusion.

Q: What now?

A: Croke Park will consider their options before the weekend. The draw for the relegation play-offs is due to be made on Sunday, after Phase Two of the hurling qualifiers.

- Martin Breheny

[Bord na Mona man]

Really the should let any team that wants enter the McCarthy Cup.
Put the Division 2 teams into preliminary rounds with the ones who get knocked out going into the Christy Ring.

[bracknaghboy]

Typical GAA madness. Hers the thing with this......Yes Antrim have been allowed into the Leinster for 3 years. However the understanding is that if they finish bottom of the pile this year then they will still be in Leinster next year but will not have access to the Qualifiers. It happened Westmeath last year where they were allowed into Leinster (to be whipped) but denied access to the back door. This was always the plan with Antrim so they need to shut up and get on with it. BNM man is right, if any Leinster county wants to hurl in their provincial championship they should be allowed, if beaten then down to the chirsty ring.
I shouldn't be but I am always amazed how this organisation of ours manages to mess up the simplist of tasks again and again and again..............