Qualifier "Draw"

[Treasurer]

From today's Indo

Offaly hurlers right to feel aggrieved over All-Ireland Qualifiers

OFFALY hurlers have every right to feel seriously aggrieved over the pre-ordained hand dealt to them in the All-Ireland Qualifier draw.

The fact is that they are being punished for being ranked higher than Dublin, Laois and Westmeath.

Here's how. The latter three were classed as 'weaker' in the qualifier draw.

Two of them were always going to be together in one group and since it was also decided to have no more than two teams from the same province in the one group, Offaly were now heading for a group that included one Leinster team, plus two from Galway, Limerick, Clare and Waterford.

It meant that Offaly had to be in a group where there were two other very strong teams whereas Clare, Limerick, Waterford and Galway had a 50-50 chance of avoiding that eventuality.

As it happened, Galway and Waterford came up lucky as they are in with Laois and Westmeath.

A draw should never discriminate against a team as has happened Offaly.

To make matters worse, they have two 'away' games (Clare have two home games) and will be back in action on Saturday, just six days after losing to Wexford.

The system needs re-visiting because what happened to Offaly is downright unfair.

Group 1: Westmeath, Laois, Waterford, Galway.

Group 2: Dublin, Clare, Offaly, Limerick.

First series (this weekend): Westmeath v Waterford; Laois v Galway; Dublin v Offaly; Clare v Limerick.

Martin Breheny

[Archangel]

Don't think it matters....after last Sunday's display v Wexford, it won't matter who's in their group.
On the other hand................
If they can show some of their League form, I think they will get through to the knockouts. A good display against the Dubs and it's back on track!

[Bord na Mona man]

I don't think there's any point in getting into the quarters having beaten Leix and Westmeath.
We need to beat a top 9 team before we are worthy of a last 8 spot.

[Ron]

I agree,
If we can beat the Dubs its game on. Limerick at home (in the new O'Connor Park???). Of course one eye/ear will be on the Clare/Limerick game.

Even if Offaly come through the Dubs and Limerick games with wins it would probably mean that the Clare game would be a top of the table playoff for 1st place in the group which could be interesting because the winner will avoid KK in the quarters and play the Leinster runners up (Wexford?) so we might get a second chance at them after all!

Maybe they'll play that with the Wx Oy football

[Treasurer]

I'd agree with ye, just thought it was worth a read

[Kevin]

Agree the system is not fair at all.

That stated, I'm glad we're in the tough group. Hopefully Sunday was just a bad dream. If we come through the group stage we can definitely say that we've improved.

[Rynaghs Biffo]

Does anyone have any suggestions on another way of structuring the qualifiers?? Because as it stands, in the round robin group stages there will be 12 games all together and it only works out that 4 of those will be properly contested for places in the All-Ireland quarter finals:-

Offaly vs Limerick, Offaly vs Clare, Limerick vs Clare

and

Galway vs Waterford

The other games (with no disrespect) should be whitewashes and the only use for them is working out score differences and seeing what teams get relegated!!

[azoffaly]

I have a bad feeling the Dublin Offaly game this weekend might not be a 'whitewash' or a matter of boosting score difference. A 3-5 point win would be job done as far as I'm concerned.

[Ron]

There's always that worry AZ. I think it's time that we found our ruthless streak and bury teams when we can. In order to be sucessful its something we need to do. Sid should be able to get the most of the lads around him on the field, even if he doesn't do it himself.