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The Counties That Are Surprisingly Crap In The All-Ireland Club Championship

The Counties That Are Surprisingly Crap In The All-Ireland Club Championship
Conor Neville
By Conor Neville
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In stark contrast to the strong clubs from the so-called weaker counties, here are the counties whose club sides are, for whatever reason, seriously under-performing in the club championship.

Carlow clubs have won a combined total of six provincial titles, which is more than the clubs from any of these counties...

Meath

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As in Tyrone, Meath clubs find it difficult to thrive when the county team is going well. During the greatest days of the Sean Boylan era, between 1986 and 2001, Meath clubs won precisely nothing at provincial level.

Seneschalstown, in 1994, were the only Meath club to reach in the Leinster final in this period. Dunshaughlin did win the Leinster club in 2002, but that was the year when Meath football began to dip.

In total, Meath clubs have won four Leinster club titles with the other three coming in the late '70s and early '80s. Walterstown reached the All-Ireland club final in 1981, but were beaten by St. Finbarr's of Cork.

Of course, these days, Meath clubs find it hard to thrive even when the county team is playing badly. This year, Navan O'Mahony's were beaten by Longford champions Killoe for the second time in four years.

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Tyrone

Last year, Omagh became the first Tyrone team to reach the Ulster club final since Errigal Ciaran won it in 2002.

In the meantime, the Tyrone senior team won three All-Ireland titles. During the glory years, Tyrone clubs made no dent in the latter stages of the club championship.

Errigal Ciaran are responsible for both Tyrone triumphs in the Ulster club, in 1993 and 2002. In neither year, did they reach the All-Ireland club final. Tyrone club football has provided us with this video, though.

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Donegal

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Donegal are one of those counties that stand accused of neutering their club championship in recent years. But the failings of their clubs at provincial level long pre-dates Jim McGuinness.

St. Joseph's, an amalgamation of previous clubs in Ballyshannon and Bundoran were the last Donegal side to win Ulster in 1975.

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In 2013 - the year in which the club championship ran throughout the summer, much to Jim McGuinness's chagrin - Glenswilly did reach the Ulster final, but lost to former All-Ireland champions, Ballinderry.

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In 2010, Glenties became the first Donegal club to reach the Ulster Final since St. Joseph's in '75, but they were beaten by Crossmaglen Rangers. In 2015, Glenties lost out to Tyrone champions Trillick in the Ulster first round.

Kildare

We anticipate the objections of some to Kildare's designation as a strong county. But we should remind people that Kildare are one of only eight counties to have reached an All-Ireland semi-final in this decade.

Moorefield, the dominant force in Kildare football in this century, did win Leinster in 2006, following in the footsteps of Raheens twenty five years before.

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Clane and Sarsfields both reached finals in the Mick O'Dwyer era, with the latter returning to the final in 2005. They were dispatched by Dublin clubs on all three occasions - Erin's Isle, Na Fianna, and Kilmacud Crokes.

They do, however, have a very innovative championship format which was instituted in 2012. Round 6 is a novel name for 'Final'.

Kildare GAA

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This year, Sarsfields were pipped in a tight quarter-final against Portlaoise.

Cavan

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Of all the counties who have yet to record a single provincial victory in the club championship, Cavan are probably the most noteworthy. Kingscourt, Bailleboro and the modern kingpins Cavan Geals have all reached provincial finals but there is no win yet.

In 2010, frustrated at the state of their club scene, the county board engaged former GAA President Peter Quinn to carry out a root and branch investigation of the Cavan championship.

His most important recommendation was that they reduce the number of senior clubs from 14 to nine.

The Cavan GAA community pondered this report awhile and after considering it in its entirety decided to increase the number of senior clubs to 17.

This year, Cavan champs Kingscourt were beaten in the first round of the Ulster championship by Kilcoo Stars on a scoreline of 3-15 to 0-5.

Read more: Michael Collins' Hatred Of Soccer And 5 Other Times Sport And Irish Politics Mixed

 

 

 

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