Munster championship format isn't Waterford's problem, form is

Following the confirmation of Waterford and Tipperary’s elimination from the Munster Senior Hurling Championship, complaints about the competition’s format have again resurfaced, for the second time in two weeks.

Ultimately, the argument against the current Munster format from Waterford fans is one that stems from frustration, particularly with the fact that the Déise have played well in several games and will still see their summer end early. While Kilkenny, for example, have played poorly, but defeated Wexford and Kildare, so remain in the fight for a place in the All-Ireland series.

The fact that Offaly are in with a real chance of reaching the All-Ireland series, despite losing all of their league games and winning only one Leinster SHC game to date makes the Déise point, especially when the Faithful would almost certainly lose every game if they were in Munster.

Leinster is the easier pot, no doubt. And Waterford have been unfortunate.

While that argument does have merit, it conveniently ignores Waterford’s own shortcomings. In the league, they played seven games and won only two, against Limerick and Offaly. They were subsequently relegated.

The Déise have played four championship games this season and failed to win any of them.

In the six years of the round robin format, from 2018 until now (minus the Covid-interrupted 2020 and 2021 seasons), Waterford have four wins from 28 Munster round robin games.

Four.

Limerick (16), Clare (17) and Cork (14) have been streets ahead over the course of those seasons, and the numbers do not lie. 

That Cork have failed to win an All-Ireland in any of those seasons is their own failing, not the format of knockout hurling in the All-Ireland series.

FRUSTRATING

It’s frustrating for Waterford’s players and fans, particularly when the weaker counties in Leinster are reaching the All-Ireland series, while they’re not.

But what have those Leinster counties done with the opportunity, when they do reach the knockout stage?

The last All-Ireland winner not to come from Munster was Galway in 2017, who defeated Waterford in the final. Since then, Galway have lost one All-Ireland and Kilkenny have lost two. Every other beaten finalist – and all of the winners – have come from Munster.

So if Waterford only win four of 28 Munster round robin games, what evidence is there to suggest that they’ll suddenly be able to bring down the Munster teams – who they’ve repeatedly lost against – when an All-Ireland title is on the line?

It’s not as if the current Munster championship doesn’t provide crunch games. Every game is. Waterford have played countless matches that they’ve needed to win in order to qualify, and still, they have failed to get over the line.

A tweak to the group stages, with seeded pools rather than the two provinces would make the All-Ireland series more competitive, certainly.

But it wouldn’t make Waterford any more – or less likely – to win an All-Ireland title.