As it stands four teams have already gained a berth in the IAFL1 playoff stage :
- The Westmeath Minotaurs
- Trinity College Dublin
- The Craigavon Cowboys
- The Wexford Eagles
However, it is not yet clear which of these will take 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th seed.
The playoff games will take place on July 14th. Both games will be hosted by the top 2 seeds respectively.
Before we get to the scenarios here is some key factors to help us determine the possible outcome of each scenario.
- Minotaurs beat Trinity on May 12th
- Minotaurs beat Eagles on March 30th
- Trinity beat Cowboys on March 3rd
- Cowboys beat Eagles on June 9th
- Minotaurs play Cowboys on June 30th
- Eagles play Trinity on June 30th
- Section 3 U 4 of the bylaws (page 25) stipulates “In the event that any team fails to complete 2 or more regular season fixtures, all its games will be regarded as 30-0 forfeits for the purposes of calculating the points allowed in these specific tiebreak categories.” Since both the Waterford Wolves and Galway Warriors have forfeited 2 or more games during the season, all the games each team has fully played will brought (up or down) to a 30-0 score for the non-forfeiting team. For example, the Wolves lost to the Cowboys 73-0, if a tiebreaker needs to be applied then the score will then be changed to 30-0 therefore affecting the NET total of points scored. (phew!!)
The current standings as of last weekend are:
So – unto the scenarios. There are 9 possible outcomes so bear with us while we lay them out for you.
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#1
Minotaurs beat Cowboys / Trinity beat Eagles
- Minotaurs are 7-1, Cowboys 6-2, Trinity 7-1 and Eagles 5-3
- Cowboys are 3rd seed and Eagles are 4th seed automatically
- Since Minotaurs beat Trinity on May 12th, Minotaurs are 1st and Trinity 2nd seed
- Playoff games are Minotaurs vs Eagles in Mullingar, and Trinity vs Cowboys in Santry
#2
Cowboys beat Minotaurs / Eagles beat Trinity
- Minotaurs are 6-2, Cowboys 7-1, Trinity 6-2 and Eagles 6-2
- Cowboys are 1st seed automatically
- Since Minotaurs beat Trinity on May 12th and Minotaurs beat Eagles on March 31st, Minotaurs are 2nd seed, Eagles 3rd seed, and Trinity are 4th seed.
- Playoff games are Cowboys vs Trinity in Portadown, and Minotaurs vs Eagles in Mullingar
#3
Minotaurs beat Cowboys / Eagles beat Trinity
- Minotaurs are 7-1, Cowboys 6-2, Trinity 6-2 and Eagles 6-2
- Minotaurs are 1st seed automatically
- Since Trinity beat Cowboys on March 3rd and Cowboys beat Eagles on June 9th – 2nd, 3rd and 4th seeds will be decided over points difference between the three teams and since all three teams have won by forfeits against both Wolves and Warriors, rule 11-U-4 will apply in the calculation of NET points on the last day of the regular season
- Playoff games are Minotaurs vs 4th seed in Mullingar and 2nd seed vs 3rd seed – venue TBD
#4
Cowboys beat Minotaurs / Trinity beat Eagles
- Minotaurs are 6-2, Cowboys 7-1, Trinity 7-1 and Eagles 5-3
- Eagles are seed 4th and Minotaurs are 3rd seed automatically
- Since Trinity beat Cowboys on March 3rd, Trinity takes 1st seed and Cowboys 2nd seed
- Playoff games are Trinity vs Eagles in Santry, and Cowboys vs Minotaurs in Portadown
#5
Cowboys and Minotaurs Draw / Trinity and Eagles draw
- Minotaurs are 6-1-1, Cowboys 6-1-1, Trinity 6-1-1 and Eagles 5-2-1
- Eagles are seed 4th automatically
- Since Trinity beat Cowboys and Minotaurs beat Trinity, 1st, 2nd and 3rd seeds will be decided over points differences between the three teams and since all three teams have won by forfeits against both Wolves and Warriors, rule 11-U-4 will apply in the calculation of NET points differences. So Minotaurs would be 203-55=148 (19+36 reduction v Warriors March 17th and May 5th), Trinity would be 163-42=121 (42 reduction v Wolves March 31st) and Cowboys would be 149-43=106 (43 reduction v Wolves May 5th)
- So Minotaurs would take 1st seed, Trinity 2nd seed and Cowboys 3rd seed
- Playoff games are Minotaurs vs Eagles in Mullingar, and Trinity vs Cowboys in Santry
#6
Cowboys and Minotaurs Draw / Trinity beat Eagles
- Minotaurs are 6-1-1, Cowboys 6-1-1, Trinity 7-1 and Eagles 5-3
- Trinity are 1st seed and Eagles are seed 4th automatically
- 2nd and 3rd seeds will be decided over points differences between the Minotaurs and the Cowboys and since both teams have won by forfeits against both Wolves and Warriors, rule 11-U-4 will apply in the calculation of NET points differences. So Minotaurs would be 203-55=148 (19+36 reduction v Warriors March 17th and May 5th) and Cowboys would be 149-43=106 (43 reduction v Wolves May 5th)
- So Minotaurs would take 2nd seed and Cowboys 3rd seed.
- Playoff games are Trinity vs Eagles in Santry, and Minotaurs vs Cowboys in Mullingar
#7
Cowboys and Minotaurs draw / Eagles beat Trinity
- Minotaurs are 6-1-1, Cowboys 6-1-1, Trinity 6-2 and Eagles 6-2
- Trinity are 4th seed and Eagles are 3rd seed automatically
- 1st and 2rd seeds will be decided over points differences between the Minotaurs and the Cowboys and since both teams have won by forfeits against both Wolves and Warriors, rule 11-U-4 will apply in the calculation of NET points differences. So Minotaurs would be 203-55=148 (19+36 reduction v Warriors March 17th and May 5th) and Cowboys would be 149-43=106 (43 reduction v Wolves May 5th)
- So Minotaurs would take 1st seed and Cowboys 2nd seed.
- Playoff games are Minotaurs vs Trinity in Mullingar, and Cowboys vs Eagles in Portadown
#8
Minotaurs beat Cowboys, Eagles and Trinity draw
- Minotaurs are 7-1, Cowboys 6-2, Trinity 6-1-1 and Eagles 5-2-1
- Minotaurs are 1st seed, Trinity are 2nd seed, Cowboys are 3rd seed, Eagles are 4th seed
- Playoff games are Minotaurs vs Eagles in Mullingar, and Trinity vs Cowboys in Santry
#9
Cowboys beat Minotaurs, Eagles and Trinity draw
- Minotaurs are 6-2, Cowboys 7-1, Trinity 6-1-1 and Eagles 5-2-1
- Cowboys are 1st seed, Trinity are 2nd seed, Minotaurs are 3rd seed, Eagles are 4th seed
- Playoff games are Cowboys vs Eagles in Portadown, and Trinity vs Minotaurs in Santry
