Bonnar wants two teams to be promoted

NHL DIVISION TWO:WEXFORD MANAGER Colm Bonnar has urged the GAA to revisit the hurling league structures to allow two teams in each division be promoted or relegated at the end of each season.

As things stand, Wexford and Clare are headed towards the Division Two final on May 2nd - where only the winners will be promoted to Division One for 2011.

This, argued Bonnar, is unfair on several counts, but particularly given the fact that two teams are promoted and two relegated from the various league divisions in football.

"First of all, I think the top team should go up automatically," commented Bonnar. "It's a league after all, based over seven results. We topped the division last year, and got beaten by Offaly in the Division Two final, and paid a heavy, heavy price for that, staying down in Division Two for another year.

"But, ideally, both teams should go up, as in the top two teams. They do it in football and I don't see why they don't do it in hurling. Two teams would be fairer, in that the reward for coming first and second should be a place in the higher division."

Bonnar checked his comments by pointing out that Wexford weren't yet certain of their place in the Division Two final. In other words, the structures should be changed no matter who ends up in the final contention.

Clare are assured of their place in the final, as they currently top the group on 11 points, but only in a fortnight's time will the question of who joins them be answered.

Wexford did put one foot into the final by beating Laois on Sunday, and have nine points, but they'll still need to beat Antrim in the last round on Sunday week to put the second foot in.

Against all predictions, Division Two hurling has been hugely competitive, and Laois can still make the final, too, if they beat Carlow (and Wexford lose); and Carlow can make it if they beat Laois (and Wexford do no better than a draw against Antrim).

Wexford's fate is at least in their own hands - but even if they do make the final, Clare, who are unbeaten this season, would be slightly more fancied for promotion. Last year, Wexford narrowly lost out to Offaly in the division two final, despite beating them in the earlier rounds, and were thus resigned to another season in Division Two.

Given all that, Bonnar's anxiety at getting back into Division One hurling is understandable. "I think the GAA seriously need to look at this," he added, "and let two teams up into Division One. That's my own opinion anyway, but there is huge pressure to get back up there. Especially in a county like Wexford.

"No disrespect to any of the counties we've been playing in Division Two, but Wexford want to be playing Tipperary and Waterford and Kilkenny and those kind of teams. I know the same interest isn't there to watch say the likes of Kildare coming to Wexford Park."

Wexford do have home advantage against Antrim on Sunday week, but in fact lost out to them last year in an earlier round.

If they only draw, and Carlow beat Laois, Carlow will take the other place in the Division Two final on the basis that they beat Wexford in the earlier rounds.

"If we win, we're in," surmised Bonnar. "Even though we were turned over by Carlow, we knew the last two games would be huge, against Laois, and Antrim.

"We've beaten Laois now so it comes down to the Antrim game. It's in our own hands now, and that's what we wanted."