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I had to laugh at some of the response to not having games the weekend of EP. Its a great idea.
The current structure is week on week, the demand on players unbelievable. Especially given the fact most players will be dual, so essentially they are dedicating every weeekend from the first weekend in July to at least mid September. And you thinking giving one week off for lads to potentially go and enjoy themselves for a weekend makes a joke of the championship? We've alot bigger issues going on rather than giving a weekend off.
To me its badly needed, whether it's the weekend of EP or not, it gives lads a chance to recover and try get over a knocks heading into the business end of championship.
JT22 (Wexford) - Posts: 52 - 08/07/2025 14:43:22
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@formertownie & JT22 -
I've no objection to having a free weekend or two or maybe even three during championship. I'm just not sure it's reasonable that one of them has to be EP weekend.
Say that next year, our championships start a week later than this year (because our senior hurlers reach the All-Ireland quarter-final again). There'd be no Fleadh here, so we'd have that as a free weekend, and say clubs vote to get rid of the extra round in hurling, so we'd have another.
Also say we have 18 calendar weeks to run what would be 16-round championships (eight hurling, eight football). To me, logical thing would be something like:
- Play weeks 1 to 6
- Free weekend 7
- Play weeks 8 to 13 (i.e. finish the groups & play the quarter-finals in both codes)
- Free weekend 14
- Semi-finals and Finals in both codes across weekends 15 to 18
But if EP falls on say weekend 10 or 11, it would throw all that out. You'd be playing maybe the first 10 weeks in a row anyway, instead of having a break after six, just so a probably fairly small minority can go on the lash.
I'll say one thing for EP - they've done some job with marketing if they've convinced so many young lads that it's unmissable. Maybe this is a very naive question from somebody of an older generation, but what's wrong with the other music festivals that take place before club championships start at all?
And @formertownie - in fairness, you're not comparing like with like as regards volunteers/Fleadh and players/EP. The volunteers are still giving up their own time to help run things for the enjoyment of others. But being blunt about it, players wanting to go to EP are thinking only of themselves.
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2969 - 08/07/2025 16:22:50
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Replying To Pikeman96: "@formertownie & JT22 -
I've no objection to having a free weekend or two or maybe even three during championship. I'm just not sure it's reasonable that one of them has to be EP weekend.
Say that next year, our championships start a week later than this year (because our senior hurlers reach the All-Ireland quarter-final again). There'd be no Fleadh here, so we'd have that as a free weekend, and say clubs vote to get rid of the extra round in hurling, so we'd have another.
Also say we have 18 calendar weeks to run what would be 16-round championships (eight hurling, eight football). To me, logical thing would be something like:
- Play weeks 1 to 6
- Free weekend 7
- Play weeks 8 to 13 (i.e. finish the groups & play the quarter-finals in both codes)
- Free weekend 14
- Semi-finals and Finals in both codes across weekends 15 to 18
But if EP falls on say weekend 10 or 11, it would throw all that out. You'd be playing maybe the first 10 weeks in a row anyway, instead of having a break after six, just so a probably fairly small minority can go on the lash.
I'll say one thing for EP - they've done some job with marketing if they've convinced so many young lads that it's unmissable. Maybe this is a very naive question from somebody of an older generation, but what's wrong with the other music festivals that take place before club championships start at all?
And @formertownie - in fairness, you're not comparing like with like as regards volunteers/Fleadh and players/EP. The volunteers are still giving up their own time to help run things for the enjoyment of others. But being blunt about it, players wanting to go to EP are thinking only of themselves." Yeah I think its pandering to the minority really.
I'm all for young lads being allowed enjoy themselves every so often, and wouldn't begrudge anyone wanting to skip a match for whatever reason. In fact, I have noticed that clubs are perhaps a bit more lax in letting chaps go off on holiday more now than even a couple of years ago.
But it shouldn't be specifically built into the schedule as a free weekend. I'm sure there are examples of players who booked their own wedding day for a date that doesn't clash with a game that is now thrown up in the air. Festivals are over-hyped anyway.
They'll be freeing up the calender to accommodate Oasis next.
beano (Wexford) - Posts: 1500 - 08/07/2025 17:22:53
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Its the right thing to do to take a break for the weekend of Electric Picnic.
Were none of you ever young lads, I would be certain many of you would have been raging if in the 1990's there was lots of matches on the weekend of Feile and no matter what year you went it was "but we're playing Oulart on Saturday".
If young lads can't just plan 1 weekend off from GAA then its a bad thing.
I also think, all the talk about split season and players wanting it etc is missing a beat. Players wanted a certain calendar, I think many would like proper matches in April-May-June and not just some rushed 18 week non-stop calendar with no break and no time to get an injury. No less than Cyril Farrell or somebody of that stature was recently saying on a podcast somewhere that there needs to be club weeks in the inter county calendar, for supporters and fringe players especially.
It just seems like no one is ever happy, the traditionalists don't want AI final in July, there's complaints about a weekend free for Electric Picnic.
And the same people complaining would complain about a young man saying "grand so, **** the lot of you I'll go do something else with my time". Is that the best outcome?
ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1425 - 08/07/2025 17:48:23
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@pikeman96 absolutely spot on.
I've no issue with having breaks throughout the championship. In fact I'd personally be in favour of less games with something actually riding on those games and more breaks.
But I 100% agree that those breaks should be based around what best for everyone not just the minority that want an excuse not to have to make a decision or have that hard conversation all because they want to have a session in a field in Laois.
And what's more holding back a weeks grace for the unpredicted events that can tend to crop up or replays of finals is of far more benefit to everyone, not just the few.
Absolutely all for breaks but breaks that suit the majority or suit the structure of our championship not dictated by a weekend on the booze and this is nothing against EP, I've done it myself and loads of others, in fact only back from one yesterday.
tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1529 - 08/07/2025 18:16:08
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Replying To Pikeman96: "@formertownie & JT22 -
I've no objection to having a free weekend or two or maybe even three during championship. I'm just not sure it's reasonable that one of them has to be EP weekend.
Say that next year, our championships start a week later than this year (because our senior hurlers reach the All-Ireland quarter-final again). There'd be no Fleadh here, so we'd have that as a free weekend, and say clubs vote to get rid of the extra round in hurling, so we'd have another.
Also say we have 18 calendar weeks to run what would be 16-round championships (eight hurling, eight football). To me, logical thing would be something like:
- Play weeks 1 to 6
- Free weekend 7
- Play weeks 8 to 13 (i.e. finish the groups & play the quarter-finals in both codes)
- Free weekend 14
- Semi-finals and Finals in both codes across weekends 15 to 18
But if EP falls on say weekend 10 or 11, it would throw all that out. You'd be playing maybe the first 10 weeks in a row anyway, instead of having a break after six, just so a probably fairly small minority can go on the lash.
I'll say one thing for EP - they've done some job with marketing if they've convinced so many young lads that it's unmissable. Maybe this is a very naive question from somebody of an older generation, but what's wrong with the other music festivals that take place before club championships start at all?
And @formertownie - in fairness, you're not comparing like with like as regards volunteers/Fleadh and players/EP. The volunteers are still giving up their own time to help run things for the enjoyment of others. But being blunt about it, players wanting to go to EP are thinking only of themselves." I disagree about the Fleadh as its become. It's not a music festival any more, and it's certainly not free. It's a commercial exercise designed to bleed the maximum amount of money out of people, especially parents.
I spend countless hours a week doing voluntary stuff, every week since I was a teenager, but I draw the line at being used so that other people can line their own pockets.
As regards EP we have 11 players going, so it's a very significant minority. All these lads are playing championship football and hurling week in and week out at this time of year, and being some of the younger members most of these were most of the lads at training on cold nights in February. I certainly don't see the problem giving them a week off tbh.
As regards more serious lads with designs on playing intercounty there's nothing stopping them putting in the time addressing whatever their weaknesses are instead for the weekend.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16515 - 08/07/2025 18:41:11
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Replying To beano: " Replying To Pikeman96: "@formertownie & JT22 -
I've no objection to having a free weekend or two or maybe even three during championship. I'm just not sure it's reasonable that one of them has to be EP weekend.
Say that next year, our championships start a week later than this year (because our senior hurlers reach the All-Ireland quarter-final again). There'd be no Fleadh here, so we'd have that as a free weekend, and say clubs vote to get rid of the extra round in hurling, so we'd have another.
Also say we have 18 calendar weeks to run what would be 16-round championships (eight hurling, eight football). To me, logical thing would be something like:
- Play weeks 1 to 6
- Free weekend 7
- Play weeks 8 to 13 (i.e. finish the groups & play the quarter-finals in both codes)
- Free weekend 14
- Semi-finals and Finals in both codes across weekends 15 to 18
But if EP falls on say weekend 10 or 11, it would throw all that out. You'd be playing maybe the first 10 weeks in a row anyway, instead of having a break after six, just so a probably fairly small minority can go on the lash.
I'll say one thing for EP - they've done some job with marketing if they've convinced so many young lads that it's unmissable. Maybe this is a very naive question from somebody of an older generation, but what's wrong with the other music festivals that take place before club championships start at all?
And @formertownie - in fairness, you're not comparing like with like as regards volunteers/Fleadh and players/EP. The volunteers are still giving up their own time to help run things for the enjoyment of others. But being blunt about it, players wanting to go to EP are thinking only of themselves." Yeah I think its pandering to the minority really. I'm all for young lads being allowed enjoy themselves every so often, and wouldn't begrudge anyone wanting to skip a match for whatever reason. In fact, I have noticed that clubs are perhaps a bit more lax in letting chaps go off on holiday more now than even a couple of years ago. But it shouldn't be specifically built into the schedule as a free weekend. I'm sure there are examples of players who booked their own wedding day for a date that doesn't clash with a game that is now thrown up in the air. Festivals are over-hyped anyway. They'll be freeing up the calender to accommodate Oasis next."
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16515 - 08/07/2025 18:43:38
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Replying To Viking66: " Replying To Pikeman96: "@formertownie & JT22 -
I've no objection to having a free weekend or two or maybe even three during championship. I'm just not sure it's reasonable that one of them has to be EP weekend.
Say that next year, our championships start a week later than this year (because our senior hurlers reach the All-Ireland quarter-final again). There'd be no Fleadh here, so we'd have that as a free weekend, and say clubs vote to get rid of the extra round in hurling, so we'd have another.
Also say we have 18 calendar weeks to run what would be 16-round championships (eight hurling, eight football). To me, logical thing would be something like:
- Play weeks 1 to 6
- Free weekend 7
- Play weeks 8 to 13 (i.e. finish the groups & play the quarter-finals in both codes)
- Free weekend 14
- Semi-finals and Finals in both codes across weekends 15 to 18
But if EP falls on say weekend 10 or 11, it would throw all that out. You'd be playing maybe the first 10 weeks in a row anyway, instead of having a break after six, just so a probably fairly small minority can go on the lash.
I'll say one thing for EP - they've done some job with marketing if they've convinced so many young lads that it's unmissable. Maybe this is a very naive question from somebody of an older generation, but what's wrong with the other music festivals that take place before club championships start at all?
And @formertownie - in fairness, you're not comparing like with like as regards volunteers/Fleadh and players/EP. The volunteers are still giving up their own time to help run things for the enjoyment of others. But being blunt about it, players wanting to go to EP are thinking only of themselves." I disagree about the Fleadh as its become. It's not a music festival any more, and it's certainly not free. It's a commercial exercise designed to bleed the maximum amount of money out of people, especially parents. I spend countless hours a week doing voluntary stuff, every week since I was a teenager, but I draw the line at being used so that other people can line their own pockets. As regards EP we have 11 players going, so it's a very significant minority. All these lads are playing championship football and hurling week in and week out at this time of year, and being some of the younger members most of these were most of the lads at training on cold nights in February. I certainly don't see the problem giving them a week off tbh. As regards more serious lads with designs on playing intercounty there's nothing stopping them putting in the time addressing whatever their weaknesses are instead for the weekend."
Never underestimate the effect a good enjoyable break away from the constant pressure will bring . It may just light the spark of the championship on resumption.
We forget if we dont have the players or volunteers we have nothing . And including myself on this get worn out between coaching mentoring and attending games . A weekend or 2 off during adult campaign would be nice to recharge.
Ask the players themselves if any on here which weekend they would like off. I m sure the highest percentage would be for EP .
We have to listen to them .
How many of us on here would get burnt out or worn out if we worked 2 separate jobs 11 weeks in a row without a weekend off and still held down our day job so to speak .
Formertownie (Wexford) - Posts: 377 - 08/07/2025 22:20:43
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If you want to give players one week break, would it not make more sense to play one round of Championship across two weeks?
ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 600 - 09/07/2025 13:03:57
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Yes, EP would be the most popular weekend break by a mile. It was a constant source of arguments a few years ago in our club and others.
One manager told us "sure, go to EP and sure enjoy the rest of your summer while you are there....." and he had to take it back when he found that the lads went ahead and 6-7 of the starting 15 didn't show for training on Tuesday. He thought his threat of dropping those going would work, but he had to eat humble pie on the Wednesday after it.
StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 1894 - 09/07/2025 13:05:07
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