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You might think it's a bit strange to start a thread on the 2021 championship when the 2020 version hasn't even been completed yet but it's important that some thinking goes into the structure and schedule of this championship for the coming year.

As we are all well aware we are existing in a very fluid Covid situation at the moment where restriction changes and movement among levels are only around the corner but let's hope that by Summer we are in at least the same position we were last Summer. With this in mind I hope to see our fixtures committee get creative with the SHC in Summer 2021.

Firstly I feel this championship should be scheduled to be run off in as quick a time frame that is reasonable. With 10 teams the only format I can see is 2 groups of 5 but to avoid excessive weekends it's probably best only to have the top 2 in each group qualifying for semi finals. 3rd place is finished for year while 4th and 5th head for relegation semi-finals.

Within this structure I think we can't afford to have a full set of week on, week off fixtures to run alongside the football championship. If we are going to commit to getting the senior championships being played dual clubs are going to have to accept that they might have to play Saturday, Wednesday, Sunday (between both codes)at some stage during the course of the Summer. If that doesn't happen and providing the top 2 go semi finals only, the championship will need 12 weeks (3 months). That jumps to 14 weeks if we add Quarter Finals into the mix. I feel that is just too risky a time frame to put on the championships. The less time we take the less chance they are of being called off due to the pandemic and we can get them finished.

As a result and in an effort to shorten the season I would also suggest that Kilcormac/Killoughey, St Rynagh's, Kinnitty, Drumcullen and any other team make up Group 1 and their group games double us the county finals (Senior A and Senior B) from last year. Yes I am well aware that Offaly championships have been seeded for the last few years (too much seeding if you ask me but that's for another day) so in a normal year K/K and Rynaghs would be kept apart the year after reaching the final but this is offset for 2021 by the fact that in their groups would be the 2 promoted teams, who in theory would be the weakest teams in the SHC.

This is a tricky situation and I hope all involved put some reasonable thought and time into it. For me if we run a week on, week off structure we are looking for trouble and the 2021 championships could very well go down the same road as the 2020 versions.

I agree with your desire to run off the championships in a short time frame, without quarter finals, weather and COVID rules permitting of course. I thought the championships went pretty well last year, even if we are still waiting for the conclusion of the 2020 hurling championships.

Do lads here think we will have leagues ? Or just championship?

private joker wrote: ↑Wed Jan 20, 2021 4:14 pm Do lads here think we will have leagues ? Or just championship?

If I had a choice it would be championship, but others may differ. Nationally I would cancel NFL/NHL for this year, and run with championships. Any championships will probably be delayed until, the COVID situation improves, and the vaccine roll out covers most of the population.

I dont aggree with this "relegation semi-final" situation at all..and in particular in the year we are in...all teams get to play their group games, top 2 in semi finals, bottom team goes down, this drawn out thing, and in some counties lads being flown home from abroad (some who havent hurled that year maybe) I think just taints the whole thing...if you go down you go down, no dressing it i up with extra games...the bottom team goes down, the top team from Senior B or intermediate or whatever comes up...whe only have 10 teams and bringing up teams that are not good enough and will be straight back down next year in most cases...everyone wont aggree for various reasons I know, but thats just my take. Wouldnt necessarily aggree with a group game being our county final for 2020...the two teams involved will be fit hopefully when training opens up, let it be played on a Friday night or something of a football weekend...no holding it up because such and such a team have a senior hurler due to play in the Junior football championship the next day eitherf..we will get nowhere if we go down that route...

Can’t disagree with you there.

Fairplayalways wrote: ↑Thu Jan 21, 2021 1:42 pm I dont aggree with this "relegation semi-final" situation at all..and in particular in the year we are in...all teams get to play their group games, top 2 in semi finals, bottom team goes down, this drawn out thing, and in some counties lads being flown home from abroad (some who havent hurled that year maybe) I think just taints the whole thing...if you go down you go down, no dressing it i up with extra games...the bottom team goes down, the top team from Senior B or intermediate or whatever comes up...whe only have 10 teams and bringing up teams that are not good enough and will be straight back down next year in most cases...everyone wont aggree for various reasons I know, but thats just my take. Wouldnt necessarily aggree with a group game being our county final for 2020...the two teams involved will be fit hopefully when training opens up, let it be played on a Friday night or something of a football weekend...no holding it up because such and such a team have a senior hurler due to play in the Junior football championship the next day eitherf..we will get nowhere if we go down that route...

How can you do "bottom team goes down" if you have 2 groups of 5?

ok, let the bottom 2 go down...not rocket science, what I am saying is the drawn out relegation saga is ridiculous....

And 2 finalists from Senior B come up? Did you not see the standard of the Senior B this year??

wouldnt have seen many senior B games to be honest, its hard enough follow the A championship, worth a try a maybe, no harm in letting the two come up if needs be, what ever system, a zooped up relegation play off (for the sake of it by the looks of it) serves no one and isnt really fair..letting the 2 comes up is still a reward for the team that gets to the B final, the winners still win the county final and get the silverware...we wont please everyone I know and we all have different views...

Only one team should come up from senior B. Nothing worse than losing a county final and having to play the following year up a grade that your not able for. County champions should be the only one that gets promoted.

private joker wrote: ↑Mon Jan 25, 2021 6:36 pm Only one team should come up from senior B. Nothing worse than losing a county final and having to play the following year up a grade that your not able for. County champions should be the only one that gets promoted.

Agreed. If you are not fit to win Senior B, then you’re not fit to hurl Senior A.

I cant see a team that looses a B final being overawed at playing A the following year, they are out to improve themselves and win something, and getting to the B final and not winning it, fair enough, but give the teams an incentive to get to the final...the relegation thing just needs to be straight forward and not protracted thing, thats all I am saying, it can work both ways and the top of the senior B and promote the two finalists, and relegate to bottom teams, after all they have finished bottom, some loosing all their group games, yet "win" a relegation play off and are saved in effect, the beaten B finalists could have won all their games upto the final, and still remain in B next year..I hear the arguments all are making...

I think Drumcullen who would of been underdogs would be well off 3 or 4 clubs in Offaly and get some big defeats.

"but give the teams an incentive to get to the final..." ???? How do teams need an incentive to get to the final?????

Surely then relegation battle is an incentive not to end up in one?