Five hurling counties could be relegated from top flight in National League revamp
Diarmaid Byrnes of Limerick is tackled by Timmy Clifford of Kilkenny during the Allianz Hurling League Final match between Kilkenny and Limerick at Páirc Ui Chaoimh in Cork. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile
Five Allianz Hurling League’s Division 1 teams could be demoted as part of the competition’s restructuring.
A proposal to adopt a seven-team top flight, with each team playing three games at home and away before the top two contest the finals, is one of three options that has been presented to counties.
If passed by Central Council later this year, the top three in the 2024 Division 1 Groups A and B will comprise the new Division 1 along with the winner of a play-off between the two fourth-placed teams. As a result, at least three Liam MacCarthy Cup teams would go down to Division 2.
Known as Option 3, along with Division 1, the four lower divisions would also consist of seven teams and two teams would be promoted and relegated each season.
The Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC), who devised the options, believe the added relegation threat would make the leagues more competitive and two teams going up every year would reduce the possibility of a Liam MacCarthy Cup team being “cut adrift” from Division 1 for a significant period.
Counties also have the choice of retaining the status quo but that would appear unlikely given the demise of the competition in recent years with the likes of Limerick manager John Kiely believing it to have been “devalued”.
Option 1 would see Division 1 revert to the 2012-19 meritocracy version with the semi-finals made up of the top three teams in Division 1A and first-placed county in Division 1B.
The top three teams in the current Division 1 Group A and B next year would qualify for the elite Division 1A. The teams in fourth and fifth in each section would join Division 1B along with the relegation final winners and Division 2A winners. The CCCC highlights it’s an old format but returns risk to the top flight.
Option 2 proposes a seeded 12-team Division 1 divided into first, second and third tiers based on 2024 league placings. Each team would face two games against their own seeds as well as two against counties in both of the other two tiers, six matches in total. The best two sides at the end of the six rounds contest the league final.
The top two in both 2024 sections would become first seeds followed by the next two in each as second seeds and so on. The CCCC highlights it is a “new and innovative” format but “may take some time for people to fully understand it”.
They continue: “Because teams only play two of the four teams in each seeded grouping, it may lead to some teams having an easier draw than others (or at the very least, a perception of same).”
The CCCC explains that the hurling league review was completed and options put forward due “to a perceived lack of competitiveness in Division 1 and a view that the current Division 1A and 1B structure is not working due to a lack of ‘jeopardy’ for the strong teams.
“The ‘yoyo’ effect for counties outside of 1A and 1B (i.e. it is the same handful of counties that are coming up and going down from Division 1 every year) has also been cited as an issue.”
Since 2012, the hurling league’s top division has comprised two groups of six. From 2020, the two sections, Group A and B, were devised so that they were of relatively similar strength.
Based on their league finishing positions earlier this year and as per the competition's regulations, the composition of the hurling league’s top flight groups have been reshuffled for 2024.
In Group B, reigning champions Limerick will be joined by Antrim, Dublin, Galway, Tipperary and Westmeath. In Group A, Division 1 and All-Ireland runners-up Kilkenny will face Clare, Cork, Offaly, Waterford and Wexford.
This past season, Group A comprised Clare, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Westmeath and Wexford and Group B was Antrim, Dublin, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Waterford and relegated Laois who have been replaced by Offaly.
Return of the meritocratic six-team Division 1A and 1B, i.e. the best six finishing teams in 2024 going into Division 1A. Semi-finals involving the top three Division 1A teams and first-placed Division 1B team.
Number of group games per county: 5.
A seeded 12-team Division 1 teams whereby each team plays two first seeds, two second seeds and two third seeds. Final contested by the two best finishers. One team relegated, one team promoted from Division 2.
Number of group games per county: 6.
Five seven-team divisions, two teams promoted and relegated each season. Finals played between top two teams.
Number of group games per county: 6.
Group A: Cork, Clare, Wexford, Kilkenny, Waterford, Offaly.
Group B: Limerick, Galway, Westmeath, Tipperary, Dublin, Antrim.
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