Workgroup chief admits league format is still not satisfactory

Hurling Development Workgroup (HDW) chairman Tommy Lanigan said it is a shame that either Cork or Clare will be relegated from Division 1A — but insists each county knew the repercussions of finishing in the bottom two.

Lanigan’s committee, which includes Cork legend John Fenton, are in support of the six-team divisional structure, although the James Stephens club man feels a solution has yet to be found to “the league issue”.

He anticipates there will be strong pleas from Cork to restructure the league should Jimmy Barry-Murphy’s side lose their relegation play-off to Clare on Sunday week.

“If it’s not Cork, it’s going to be Clare. I think it would be a shame if either of them aren’t playing in the top division all of the time but unfortunately that’s the way things are at present.

“Next year, you’ve quarter-finals linking both divisions but then there’s the problem of some counties only getting two matches for the rest of the year. A solution hasn’t yet been found to the league issue and there will certainly be calls from either county should they be relegated to Division 1B. But another way of looking at it is everyone started on a level playing field and had the opportunity to show they were good enough to stay up.

“It wouldn’t be the first time Cork would have been in Division 2 but for either themselves or Clare it would be problematic as they are developing teams that need top competition.”

One of the criticisms aimed at the current system is the lack of games for counties, with Waterford having played just five and now waiting nine weeks until their Munster quarter-final against Clare. Lanigan can’t see how an eight-team division could be accommodated for in the master calendar, never mind the 10-side idea Tipperary manager Eamon O’Shea has proposed.

However, he says the HDW attempted to increase the number of Championship matches for counties, which included provincial competitions on a home and away basis, but failed as Central Council elected to back the Central Competitions Control Committee’s more conservative proposal of leaving the Munster SHC alone and a qualifying group in Leinster.

“Our ideas were kicked out. We were trying to get more matches for teams when it mattered most, not necessarily in the league.

“The people in Cork were one of the counties not happy with that idea. There are a couple of problems facing hurling and the GAA has spent a long time wrestling with them. Part of the wider problem is teams aren’t getting enough games at the height of the season. I don’t think that’s satisfactory.”