It's going to change next year, but right now that doesn't matter a damn to Kildare.
The Kildare hurlers won their first Christy Ring Cup since 2014 on Saturday.
After winning what was a second tier hurling competition in 2014, the Lilywhites failed to secure a spot in the All-Ireland championship for 2015 after they lost a play off to Westmeath.
That play off game took place only one week after Kildare had won their first every Christy Ring Cup title. Of course, they celebrated that triumph into the next week.
They put up a gallant fight only to come up nine points short against their Leinster rivals on the Sunday but it was hardly fair on them having to gear up for a do-or-die game just seven days after reaching their holy grail.
So in 2015, it all changed. From then on, the Christy Ring Cup winners would go straight up to the top tier. Kerry lifted the Christy Ring Cup and they played in the Leinster championship in 2016.
The same happened in 2016. The same happened in 2017.
That brings us to 2018 and now Kildare hurling folk must be wondering what the hell they've done to deserve this. On Saturday, Joe Quaid's side won the Christy Ring Cup again.
After a thrilling win over London, the team celebrated their triumph.
https://twitter.com/KildareGAA/status/1010831439863140352
But how are they supposed to celebrate it properly when they know that they've a journey up to Armagh ahead of them this Saturday for a play-off with Antrim to get into the Joe McDonagh Cup for next year.
When you consider that two teams are relegated from the Christy Ring Cup every year, it must be fairly demoralising for the Londons, the Wicklows, the Mayos and of course the Kildares to know that even winning the competition won't guarantee them promotion.
Instead, they've to face into a a tough play-off game.
Tough because Antrim have had a few weeks to prepare for this one. Tough because Kildare aren't even given a chance to celebrate their triumph.
Then, it's fixed for the same day as the county's footballers knockout third round qualifier clash with Mayo. While the rest of the county worry about this game taking place in Croker or in St Conleth's Park, the poor hurling folk couldn't give less of a damn because they won't be able to go to it anyway.
What way is that to encourage young lads in Kildare, or any Christy Ring counties for that matter, to pick up a hurl?
