Sport

Hurling changes

Three Leinster managers give their views

Thu Oct 02 2008 - 01:00

Three Leinster managers give their views

Tommy Naughton,Dublin manager

Do you welcome the proposed entry of Galway and Antrim into the Leinster hurling championship?

I don't see it as a problem or a hindrance to Dublin. It simply means two more good hurling teams will be in the Leinster championship. Simple as that. It is up to ourselves to improve either way and it doesn't matter whether Galway or Antrim are present.

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Is this the inevitable sign of a path towards an open draw?

I think the Leinster and Munster championships should stand on their own and if they can't they shouldn't be played. It is bonus enough to win either title. Afterwards, all teams should be in a hat with no All-Ireland semi-final advantage for Munster or Leinster champions, although they should be kept apart. Look at rugby (the Heineken Cup), they have a more open draw that does lead sometimes to a group of death but the best team always comes out in the end.

John Meyler,Wexford manager

Do you welcome the proposed entry of Galway and Antrim into the Leinster hurling championship?

I don't see any benefit to it. I don't think it has really been analysed correctly. The HDC have been tinkering with the championship for the last five or six years, coming up with different structures, formats and draws without looking at the long-term picture. A better plan needs to be put in place.

Is this the inevitable sign of a path towards an open draw?

We should play the provincial championship as a stand-alone competition and then have an open draw with 12 teams in the hat. We would have no problem if Kilkenny come out of the hat in the first round. The problem now is we have to beat them twice to win an All-Ireland.

Joe Dooley,Offaly manager

Do you welcome the proposed entry of Galway and Antrim into the Leinster hurling championship?

The situation is our county board has voted against it so we will go along with that view. My job is to prepare the team so we will just get on with it.

Is this the inevitable sign of a path towards an open draw?

It is hard to know. The Munster championship is still very strong and if you take Kilkenny out of Leinster it remains very level. There is a life cycle to everything and the other Leinster teams will improve. It would prove very hard to bring in an open draw, maybe after the provincial championships are played. It is a few years before we are ready for that.