Dublin are probably the finest team of their generation, and are in conversations when it comes to anointing the Finest Team of All Time, but will their greatness forever carry the asterisk of the shambles that is the Leinster Championship? This year, the Dubs are into the Leinster final having beaten two sides from Division Four, and Westmeath have today suffered their third -and heaviest - shellacking in Croker in three years, this time a chastening 4-29 to 0-10 defeat.
Naturally, this utterly pointless match-up threw up myriad complaints about the structure of the Championship, as the awarding of the most prestigious prize in the game is still heavily influenced by the misfortune of geography.
Colm O'Rourke addressed exactly that on The Sunday Game after the game, rubbishing the idea that we have a proper Championship.
What this shows again today is the idea that a proper Championship is a farce, whether in Leinster or anywhere else. Teams like Westmeath and a lot of others, 23 or 24 others, are just not able to compete.
The sooner we have different levels to suit the various teams, the better it would be for a lot of players. The Westmeath players going home tonight must be in absolute despair. Imagine trying to pick yourself up for a qualifier?
Watch that below.
'What this shows is the idea of a proper championship is a farce' https://t.co/sVCxUtSq8T #RTEgaa pic.twitter.com/cLkvrl8jnA
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) June 25, 2017
Westmeath 0-10 Dublin 4-29 Final Score at Croke Park. A 31 point defeat. We were totally out of or depth. Awful!
— Westmeath GAA (@westmeath_gaa) June 25, 2017
People saying the game would have been closer if it wasn't in Croke Park. Throw the deck chair off the titanic while you are at it! 🙄🙄
— Alan O'Mara (@AOMTHECAT) June 25, 2017
The Dubs sleeping, car, gear, clothes, drinks, food, MBA partners etc...all happy this evening! Oh sorry and their sponsors @AIGinsurance
— Michael Duignan (@DuignanMichael) June 25, 2017
It'll all end in tiers #GAA
— Cahair O'Kane (@CahairOKane1) June 25, 2017
Westmeath are surely entitled to some kind of exemption from playing Dublin in Leinster again next year? #GAA
— Eoin Ryan (@eoinryan101) June 25, 2017
Poor auld Westmeath.. if that doesn't prove the need for a B Championship nothing will #Gaa #TheSundayGame
— killian 🇵🇸🏳️⚧️ (@killianodris) June 25, 2017
What an embarrassment not to Westmeath but to the Leinster championship. When are they gonna change it ? There's no competition in Leinster
— Ross Wynne (@RossWynne16) June 25, 2017
This kind of logic makes zero sense to me. How does playing games at a level you can actually compete at, destroy football within a county?? https://t.co/wOrZXDmzdr
— Mike Quirke (@Mike_Quirke) June 25, 2017
Upcoming Special Congress should vote on football c'ship too. Don't try & bring in tiered system by stealth via Super 8: vote for tiers #GAA
— John Fogarty (@JohnFogartyIrl) June 25, 2017
