Putting Intermediate Teams Into the Christy Ring

I think ive exhausted the idea of reform in the hurling structures over and over, but heres one last pop.

The Christy Ring could be spiced up by the introduction of the intermediate teams, as could the nicky rackard by junior teams?

Would it let these counties know fully where they are at regarding developing towards the top level or would it send them back a peg or two?

Spainish Soccer has the "b" teams in the lower divisions and it seems to do wonders for developing both players at the top level and developing the clubs to be able to compete at the top level.

I dont know maybe yous do?

Would this be doing away with the Intermediate Championship?

Dont think it would do away with it but maybe offer christy ring teams the opportunity to play in the intermediate also alongside the christy ring, but either way i think competition with both sets of teams is the way forward, i know if i was from a christy ring team id rather pay in to watch my team v kk2nds than wicklow, no disrespect to wicklow im just using them as an example.

It would create more of a big game atmosphere, and maybe generate rivalaries between the lower teams likes of derry and wicklow as they start to rise to the top of this new section.

Like i say i dont know but just throwing it out there!

Would you admit all counties to this? Cork are usually very strong in Intermediate and are one of only two counties who field intermediate club players only in the Intermediate championship. Kilkenny are the other county. Tipperary used to be the same but they changed it this year to allow senior players to play Intermediate. It seems to me that this would be a lot more difficult than you imagine.

Scorpio wrote:Would you admit all counties to this? Cork are usually very strong in Intermediate and are one of only two counties who field intermediate club players only in the Intermediate championship. Kilkenny are the other county. Tipperary used to be the same but they changed it this year to allow senior players to play Intermediate. It seems to me that this would be a lot more difficult than you imagine.

good point scorpio but, if you where from kerry and had a five year plan to implement at the end of the 5 years you want to be within 15 points of the kilkenny senior team, say in the year before this new plan is implemented and my idea is implemented you win the CRC in its current format and get annihalated left right and centre in the first year of your 5 year plan.

Will this scenario mean you have learnt anything? I dont thinkso, but in my idea, you would play the KK 2nds, cork 2nds etc, until you are beating them by 15 plus what is the point in taking an annihalation from their seniors on a regular basis and at that what is the point annihalating lower CRC teams.

Imagine a 2nd tier of:

Cork
KK
Tipp
Limerick
Down
Kerry
Kildare
Wicklow

the next tier could have 2nd teams from weaker intermediate counties such as offaly, dub etc.

These teams would improve no end, and should a team in the top tier not be feeling up to it, such as my own county antrim, dropping down into this group will serve them with the hurling they need to bounce back.

I just imagine that our weaker counties can learn so much more from actually seeing what standards need met.

Much of the same could be said for the minor and under 21 B championships.

Looking at it from a slightly different angle, I suppose that for this competition, the rules could stipulate that the "stronger" counties should field players from intermediate clubs only, or they could field true "second" teams of players just outside the senior panel (but capable of breaking into it). As far as Cork are concerned, it would be almost the same thing, as some players from the Intermediates have gone on to play for the Seniors. And that could be the motivation for players from the "stronger" counties: to prove to Senior management that they are worthy of a chance with the Senior panel.

I'd actually quite like this to happen, but the people who manage games for the GAA don't seem capable of making any radical changes; making stupid changes to the playing rules seems to be as much as they are capable of.