Christy Ring winners warned off top tier
With promotion and relegation between the four tiers now a matter or choice for the teams concerned since last month’s Congress, up to 16 counties could be competing for the Liam McCarthy Cup by 2016.
That means that one of Kerry, Westmeath, Mayo, Down, Kildare, Wicklow, Derry or Meath could be facing the likes of Kilkenny or Galway in 12 months’ time and Howlin has called on counties to think long and hard about such a scenario.
“If you look at it, Clare are struggling at the minute and they have a great hurling tradition,” said the Wexford native. “Limerick are struggling, Wexford struggled this year and we put in a huge effort in hurling.
“It just wouldn’t serve anyone any purpose in coming up and playing Offaly or Wexford, Kilkenny or Galway and getting beaten by 30 points when they could be playing competitive games in the Christy Ring.
“They would make much more progress by playing for a few years in the Christy Ring, winning it, and then maybe saying ‘ok, we are ready to come up now, we have a good panel’. If that happens then why shouldn’t they play in the McCarthy?”
Howlin singled out Carlow to support his point.
The Leinster side won the Christy Ring Cup two years in-a-row before moving up this year and it was actually the controversy over their blocked bid to compete in the Liam McCarthy that prompted the change in April’s Congress.
Leinster has already seen its numbers mushroom with the absorption last season of Galway and Antrim into its provincial championship on what is initially a three-year trial basis.
GAA president Christy Cooney has already expressed the view that he can see that becoming a more permanent arrangement and Howlin was equally enthusiastic about its long-term future last night.
Speaking at the official launch of the Leinster hurling and football championships in Portlaoise, he hinted strongly that both counties’ underage teams would also find a warm welcome within the provincial boundaries.
Presently, only senior sides compete in the summer competitions as there were fears expressed in many quarters that Galway’s impressive underage record would see them dominate to the detriment of all other contenders.
“I know there was a wish from Antrim that maybe we would consider minor. I am not so sure about Galway’s wishes on that but I would see that as something we could seriously look at.
“It would probably be good for Antrim anyway. I know they have the Ulster Championship and they would be conscious about taking Antrim away from it as it might diminish it.
“If the seniors are playing here then the U21 and minors wouldn’t do any harm but that is a decision for another day and they would have to apply for that. Ulster would have to give it their blessing as well but I think it would be looked at favourably here.”
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