Qualifier draws

[bula bula]

Is it just me or did the draw for the hurling and football look very dodge???? Our esteemed president looked straight into the bowl, no mix or anything and deliberately picked out certain balls. Either this was a total fix, or total and utter ineptitude. Whichever it was, it was not good enough. Back to the draws itself and the hurling tie against LImerick would have been tough enough if we had them in Birr or Tullamore, but it looks an extremely difficult tie having to travel to the Gaelic Grounds. For the football, Down might just be the tie that we needed to get the players up for it as a perceived weaker team might have shocked and embarassed us.

[black and red exile]

There is no doubt the 4 weaker teams, ourselves, Dublin, Laois and Antrim were screwed big time. Whatever about Offaly travelling to Limerick and Dublin going to Cork, Laois travelling to Pearse stadium and poor oul Antrim travelling millions of miles down to Walsh park to play Waterford is the real punchline in the joke. We shudder to think what the final scorelines will be in Galway and Waterford, something is going to have to change drastically for next year concerning the all Ireland hurling championship, and fast. Anyway with the two draws involving our senior teams only a pure fantasist would give our hurlers any chance in the gaelic grounds. We don't stand a chance in hell of getting anything down there only a hammering and a half and the biggest worry would be the mental state of our U21s just a few days later in the Leinster final after a massive mauling. [Worrying times ahead.]
The football draw could certainly have been ten times worse. Down at home is winnable providing the attidude is 100per cent and the tactics are spot on. Down's record in the qualifers is not a whole lot better than our own and with home advantage there is an opportunity for our lads to knuckle down and try to salvage something from what has so far been a very tough year for players and supporters alike.

[gutless08]

see below

[gutless08]

from black and red exile
[down there only a hammering and a half and the biggest worry would be the mental state of our U21s just a few days later in the Leinster final after a massive mauling. [Worrying times ahead.]


massive mauling? think our under 21s deserve more credit than that. thats the sort of negative thinking we could du without

[midfield]

Is it just me or did the draw for the hurling and football look very dodge???? Our esteemed president looked straight into the bowl, no mix or anything and deliberately picked out certain balls. Either this was a total fix, or total and utter ineptitude. Whichever it was, it was not good enough. Back to the draws itself and the hurling tie against LImerick would have been tough enough if we had them in Birr or Tullamore, but it looks an extremely difficult tie having to travel to the Gaelic Grounds. For the football, Down might just be the tie that we needed to get the players up for it as a perceived weaker team might have shocked and embarassed us.

I have thought myself for years that the qualifier draws are rigged. I have had arguments with various people who have dispelled my theories quick enough - but still kind of subscribe to the theory. One year Micheal lyster even asked the pundits what their opinion of the various matches were ( ie he asked them who would win the match between two specific teams even before the draw was made) - so either the draw was recorded or something else was going on. Players who were interviewed immediately after matches announced who they were playing before the 'live' draw was made. If the draw isnt live their is nothing to stop them recording it again so the right combition comes out- ok might be a fairly doubtful conspiracy theory here but it definately something going on. In the previous qualifier system with the round robin group games , the teams looked like they were seeded so you would never have any suprises about who would come out of the groups.

This year convinced me more than ever. Nickey brennan had two capsules in the bowl and didnt even mix them around properly. Then he looked into the bowl and picked them out. He could at least have looked away.Nickey try and have the draw looking fair if nothing else. Maybe we need an independent 'KPMG' man like they have for the lotto draw !!!

[Plain of the Herbs]

I'd give our lads a chance against Limerick, in fact I'm actually looking forward to it. Limerick are no Kilkenny and if they can keep out the goals the longer they stay in the match.

I don't think I'm a fantasist though!!

Anyway with the two draws involving our senior teams only a pure fantasist would give our hurlers any chance in the gaelic grounds. We don't stand a chance in hell of getting anything down there only a hammering and a half and the biggest worry would be the mental state of our U21s just a few days later in the Leinster final after a massive mauling. [Worrying times ahead.]

[faithful till I die]

Nickey brennan had two capsules in the bowl and didnt even mix them around properly. Then he looked into the bowl and picked them out.

I could not agree more it was a total farce in particular with the hurling draw.The capsules were already set up in the bowl when the coverage began and he clearly looked at each one as he picked it. What are the chances of the four so called weaker counties all getting away draws ?! Another example of the Gaa thinking with their pockets first and screwing Offaly over. Surely it makes sense to afford the weaker teams the home draw to balance it up a bit. Jesus the Gaa talk about the promotion of hurling. That draw was like a bad episode of Father Ted.

[athlumneyboy]

Totally agree to promote hurling these matches should have being at the weaker counties ground or at a nutral venue.

The sooner the Nicky Brennan leaves office the better he isnt even liked in KK , He is ruining or games he is always on the side of the big counties like Cork,KK etc, When Cork was going for 3 in a row Nicky ordered the grass not to be cit in Croke Park so it would suit KK this is the type of man we are dealing with, he didnt even thrill the balls around he knew which county was which.

Its the death nail in Laois,Antrim and Dublin hurling for the year having to travel to away venue, While i would have liked a home venue i reckon if Offaly can play like they did last year against Tipp we will beat Limerick they are not one of the top teams.

As siad by previous posters the GAA are looking to later on in Championship when Galway,Waterford and even Cork will attract bigger crowds.

[the bare biffo]

Lots of conspiracy paranaoia going on here.
Its not the function of a championship draw to promote hurling standards.
Why should Waterford be forced to travel to Belfast just because they have a better team.

Anyway, its time to abandon this nonsense entirely. Let the provincial councils run their championships if they want, but run the Liam McCarthy as a straight forward open draw knockout competition.

[DD]

I don't think the draw is rigged and no matter where those ties are played the strong counties are overwhelming favourites and will all come through. As regards the qualifier system, it's flawed because it's not an open draw and that is the main reason why it favours the strong counties. Until it's an open draw the weaker counties are always going to be shafted.
The closest pairing is us against Limerick, unfortunately I don't think we'll get within 6 points of them..

In the football, we could have done a lot worse but we now have a few weeks to get ready for it so we should give it our best shot. It's hard to see us turn around the current shambles but we live in hope.
Realistically it's Down by 4 or 5 pts.

[Doon Massive]

Whatever about the draw being fixed or not, surely a quick swirl of the kinder egg's wouldn't be any harm, seeing as there were only two in there in the first place. Leaving themselves open to talk of a fix with this sort of stuff.

[black and red exile]

Poth and gutless 08 I'm just being realistic. Up to this year and even including the 14 point hammering by Kilkenny in Portlaoise last year I was one of those people who believed no matter who we were up against we would win but there is nothing to suggest during the league and the humiliation to KK that we can turn the corner. Yes Limerick are no Kilkenny but we certainly are not up challenging them, at least not for a few years anyway. Limerick are in the top seven who are in a league of their own, with Wexford, Dublin and ourselves sadly way behind with a long long road to try and catch them. One thing about our hurlers is their sheer honesty and they have worked so hard in trying to turn around the fortunes of our senior team. We will definitely turn the corner but we all know its not going to happen for a few years yet and it makes me sick to the stomach to say that in my opinion when we face a fired up Treaty County on Saturday week, who will be chomping at the bit to prove their critics wrong after the Clare defeat and in front of their own supporters that we will suffer a walloping.

[gutless08]

Poth and gutless 08 I'm just being realistic. Up to this year and even including the 14 point hammering by Kilkenny in Portlaoise last year I was one of those people who believed no matter who we were up against we would win but there is nothing to suggest during the league and the humiliation to KK that we can turn the corner. Yes Limerick are no Kilkenny but we certainly are not up challenging them, at least not for a few years anyway. Limerick are in the top seven who are in a league of their own, with Wexford, Dublin and ourselves sadly way behind with a long long road to try and catch them. One thing about our hurlers is their sheer honesty and they have worked so hard in trying to turn around the fortunes of our senior team. We will definitely turn the corner but we all know its not going to happen for a few years yet and it makes me sick to the stomach to say that in my opinion when we face a fired up Treaty County on Saturday week, who will be chomping at the bit to prove their critics wrong after the Clare defeat and in front of their own supporters that we will suffer a walloping.

sweet

[TheManFromFerbane]

It's a dangerous game this perdictions business

[gutless08]

sure is. the same joe dooley slaters are lieing low these days