Hurling’s headaches

PHILIP LANIGAN suggests that this year’s All-Ireland Hurling Championship may be the best ever (MoS, June 17).

The writer obviously has a good point with some of the contests over the last few weeks much more exciting than anything the World Cup has to offer.

However, the extra games in Leinster and Munster seem to be geared towards bringing in extra revenue as well as giving supporters more matches.

Followers of teams have to fork out more money while players have been feeling the strain after playing so many games within a tight schedule.

One of the minuses of the new system was top teams of recent seasons, Tipperary and Waterford, being eliminated before the middle of June.

The new format obviously needs a little tweaking and I think moving All-Ireland finals away from their customary September setting is a mistake, with such a move handing over media exposure to rival sports like rugby and soccer in that month.

John Lane, John’s College, Waterford city.