Tailteann Cup: Week one of group stages shows no end to mismatches as margins get wider

In late 2021, when Proposal B was being pushed in advance of the GAA’s Special Congress, a common refrain was that a second football tier would lessen the chances of one-sided games.

GPA chief executive Tom Parsons said that “the potential for brutal mismatches” would be “limited” in a tiered championship. On the face of it, that makes sense but it has never been the case in hurling, where there are five tiers yet hammerings have always been commonplace.

This weekend, for example, of the six games in the McDonagh and Rackard cups, three were decided by margins of 20, 18 and 14 points and another by eight.

[ The Tailteann Cup deserves better than the casual derision of Dónal Óg Cusack ]

So what of the Tailteann? It’s obviously a small sample size so we’re not making any sweeping judgments, but week one of the new group stage format didn’t further Parsons’ case.

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Of the eight matches, five were decided by nine points or more. The biggest mismatch of the weekend, of course, was also between two teams in the same tier – the Leinster final.

A Clones state of mind

Clones is, as regulars attendees will tell you, a state of mind. A fantastic piece by Declan Bogue on The42.ie about the venue quotes Monaghan’s Clones clubman Fintan Kelly, who explained a shortage of parking.

“You have to consider the readjustment of the season. We have silage fields that would be cut short in June and July. But we don’t have them now that people can go and park there, because the first cut isn’t ready.

“So that’s why there is added traffic. Silage season is part of logistics.”

How “Clones” are the Kellys?

“You know in The Butcher Boy, when Francie Brady is taking a shite in Mrs Nugent’s house?” asked Kelly. “Well, that’s actually my brother’s legs. He was the stunt double. As far as the stunt double went!”

Greys’ big day

Yesterday was a big day for the Grey family from Dromintee in Armagh. Lining out for the Orchard senior ladies footballers was Shauna, whose side picked up an 8-14 to 2-7 win over beleaguered Cavan in round three of the Ulster Championship on the undercard to the men’s senior final, with Aimee Mackin hitting 3-7.

Meanwhile, her brother Leonard, who began his career with Dromintee before switching St Patrick’s club over the Border in Louth as a schoolboy, was at corner-back for Louth in the Leinster final against Dublin.

[ Mickey Harte believes Dublin ‘have found an angst in their game again’ after 21-point trimming ]

We would safely wager that this marked the first occasion that (deep breath) a brother and sister played on provincial championship final programmes for different counties in different provinces on the same afternoon.

How the mighty have fallen etc

The Schemozzle doesn’t delight in throwing shade at anyone (bar refs, pundits, lads with coloured boots etc) but rarely has a team lost its form as dramatically as Kildare hurlers.

They were excellent during the League, topping 2A with wins over Carlow, Down, Kerry, Derry and Kerry and a draw with Offaly before narrowly losing the final.

In championship, they were well beaten in all five group games against mostly the same opponents and ended up relegated.

Word of Mouth

Serious question: Who in the name of god was Waterford’s hurling coach and who in the name of god was our strength and conditioning coach. Absolutely shocking. – Déise legend Ken McGrath (kenmcgrath78) tweets his displeasure

By the Numbers: 1

The age of Dublin’s number two, Daire Newcombe, when their number one, Stephen Cluxton, made his championship debut 22 years ago this month against Longford.