Abbeyside/Ballinacourty Proposal for Waterford Championships Get the Green Light.

The big news coming out of last Monday night’s three hour County Board meeting at  Lawlors Hotel was that there will be a new format in both codes in the senior championships in 2018 following the success of an Abbeyside /Ballinacourty proposal that was very well received by the vast majority of the clubs.

Gone are the two groups of six and the football championship system of 2017 and in their place comes three Groups of four for hurling and football. Introduction of proposal :  By reducing both Championships to groups of 4 it will make it easier on the board to: 1. Get the Championships finished in time for Munster Club. 2. Give dual clubs (Not just dual Senior Clubs) adequate time to prepare for Championship matches. 3. Allow time for under 21 Championships to be played without dragging the playing season into December or indeed the following year. This is important so as to allow players have some time off before returning to training in January which most clubs will now do due to Club Championship commencing in early April.

Group Structure (Football)

Championship to be made up of 3 groups of 4 teams. Groupings to be made up on the following criteria.  Group 1: Stradbally (County Champions). Group 2: The Nire (Runners Up). Group 3: AnRinn and Kilrossanty (Beaten Semi Finalists).

The following four teams would then be placed in a pot, Ardmore, Ballinacourty, Clashmore and Rathgormack. The first drawn team assigned to group 1, second drawn team to group 2. The remaining two teams would then be assigned to one of the three groups by a draw. After this stage two groups will have 3 teams and one group will have 2 teams. The remaining four teams will then be assigned to a group by draw, with the first team joining whichever group has only two teams in it.

Knockout Stages

Top team in each group goes straight to quarter final joined by the best placed 2^nd placed team. Best 2^nd placed team decided on following criteria: 1. Total points won in the group. 2. Best scoring difference. 3.Total score for. 4.Total goals scored.Where teams are still level a draw would take place. No play offs to be used.

The remaining eight teams would then be broken into two pots. Pot A to consist of remaining 2^nd placed teams plus the two best 3^rd placed teams. Best 3^rd placed teams to be decided on the same criteria as outlined above. Pot B to consist of the remaining 4 teams.

A draw will take place to give four matches with no repeat of group matches allowed. The four winners will advance to quarter finals to play the four teams already qualified in a seeded draw. The four losers to play relegation play off.

Delivered to the meeting by Abbeyside/ Ballinacourty secretary,Tomas O Cadhla, the proposal quickly found favour with the delegates  and when Rathgormack, Stradbally and the CCCC withdrew their proposals, the new championship structures were soon a reality for 2018.

               2018 SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GROUPS AND DRAWS

Group 1 : 1. Stradbally. 2. Ardmore. 3. Dungarvan. 4. Portlaw.

Group 2 : 1. Nire. 2. Clashmore/ Kinsalebeg. 3.Ballinacourty. 4. Brickeys.

Group 3 : 1. An Rinn. 2. Kilrossanty. 3. Rathgormack. 4. Gaultier.

Games :

Round 1 : Stradbally v Ardmore. Dungarvan v Portlaw. 3. Nire v Clashmore/ Kinsalebeg. Ballinacourty v Brickeys. An Rinn v Kilrossanty. Rathgormack v Gaultier.

Round 2 : Stradbally v Portlaw. Ardmore v Dungarvan. Nire v Brickeys. Clashmore/ Kinsalebeg v Ballinacourty. An Rinn v Gaultier. Kilrossanty v Rathgormack.

Round 3 : Stradbally v Dungarvan. Ardmore v Portlaw. Nire v Ballinacourty. Clashmore/ Kinsalebeg v Brickeys. An Rinn v Rathgormack. Kilrossanty v Gaultier.  

                                              Opposition to Hurling Proposal

The same type structure for the senior hurling championship went to a vote before it was accepted. The Tallow club wanted to retain the tried and tested two Groups of six teams but with the majority of County Board and Western Board officers backing the Abbeyside proposal, the Tallow proposal was beaten by 29 votes to 13, the clubs themselves being divided fairly evenly in their views.

                  2018 SENIOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP GROUPS AND DRAWS

Group 1. : 1. Ballygunner. 2. Abbeyside.3. Ballyduff Upper. 4. An Rinn.

Group 2 : 1. De La Salle. 2. Fourmilewater. 3. Dungarvan. 4.Tallow.

Group3 : 1.Pasage. 2. Lismore. 3. Mt. Sion. 4. Roanmore.

Games :

Round 1. Ballygunner v Abbeyside.Ballyduff v An Rinn. DLS v Fourmilewater. Dungarvan v Tallow.Lismore v Passage. Mt. Sion v Roanmore.

Round 2 : Ballygunner v An Rinn. Abbeyside v Ballyduff. DLS v Tallow. Fourmilewater v Dungarvan.  Lismore v Roanmore. Passage v Mt. Sion.

Round 3 : Ballygunner v Ballyduff. Abbeyside v An Rinn. DLS V Dungarvan. Fourmilewater v Tallow. Lismore v Mt. Sion. Passage v Roanmore.

 Both championships will start in April.

                                                COUNTY BOARD SNIPPETS

• The under 21 football championship will be played on an all County basis and the hurling will be organised by the Divisional Boards.

• The proposed Groups for the Minor football championships will be reviewed by the CCCC following requests by a number of clubs to be graded in different divisions. The championships are scheduled to start on the weekend of March 4^th.

• The Munster Convention will be held in Lawlors Hotel this Saturday January 27^th.

• It was announced that the Strictly Come Dancing Fundraiser at the end of 2017 raised £71,858.

•  The Munster Minor Hurling Championship will be played on a Round Robin system with our first game against Clare on April 11^th in Pairc Ui Rinn. The Minor football championship will remain the same as last year.

•  Board Officers have met with Munster and Central Councils re plans and financing for the development of Walsh Park for a 17/18,000 capacity venue.

• A number of clubs voiced opposition to the deal with Sky television for 2018 because many GAA people haven’t this channel.