Kilkenny GAA adopts new points system for hurling league standings

It’s set to be a hectic weekend of hurling action as the St Canice’s Credit Union Senior League and the Michael Lyng Motors Hyundai Intermediate League draw to a conclusion over Saturday and Sunday.

With six games beginning simultaneously on each day and league and shield final spots on offer as well as the battle to avoid relegation, all eyes and ears will be fixed on what’s happening around the county.

To make things a little more complicated, a new rule was passed at the last GAA congress to determine placings where three or more teams finished level on points in a round-robin group.

The revised Rule 6.21 provides for three steps in determining the position of teams in the league table and is as follows:

1. The highest number of league points obtained in the head to head meetings of the teams involved in a tie.
2.The scoring difference in the head to head meetings of the teams involved in a tie.
3. The higher ‘scores for’ in the head to head meetings of the teams involved in a tie.

While it may look relatively straightforward on paper, the reality is very different and has prompted an onslaught of appeals, leaving several club championships around the country in a state of uncertainty and facing potential delays.

There have already been cases of controversy in Offaly, Meath and Clare where appeals have gone to the Leinster and Munster Councils - in Offaly’s case it’s even gone all the way to the Disputes Resolution Authority.

Let’s hope none of that comes to pass in Kilkenny this week, but with clubs so tightly matched it’s very likely that three or more could end up on the same amount of points come the close of play.