10/07/2026
Hi all see below membership criteria, ranking event dates and structure for the year ahead. Ladies rankings and other category rankings will be finalised at a later date Any queries contact a committee member and we'll help as best we can.
Tournament Structure & Schedule
• Check-in: 10:15 AM to 10:45 AM
• Start Time: 11:00 AM
• Format: 8 groups
Group Seeding
• Ranking 1: Open draw (no seeds).
• Rankings 2 to 6: One seed placed per group.
Match Lengths
Group Stage : Race to 5
Cup:
• Knockout Rounds: Race to 6
• Semi-Finals: Race to 7
• The Final: Race to 8
Shield:
• Knockout & Semi-Final Rounds: Race to 3
• The Final: Race to 4
Knockout Stage
• Cup Knockout: Top 2 players from each group.
• Shield Knockout: 3rd and 4th place players from each group.
Points Distribution System
Points are accumulated through attendance, group placement, and knockout wins.
1. Attendance Points
5 points when checked in
2. Group Stage Points
Group Finish
Points Awarded
1st Place (Group Winner)
25 points
2nd Place
15 points
3rd Place
5 points
4th Place and below
0 points
3. Knockout Points
• Cup Games: 20 points per match win.
• Shield Games: 5 points per match win.
Team Panels
1. Carlow A
The Carlow A Team panel shall consist of ten (10) players, selected via the following criteria:
• Ranked Selection (9 Spots): The nine (9) highest-ranked players based on the official Carlow Pool Association ranking standings at the time of selection shall receive automatic entry into the panel.
• Wild Card Selection (1 Spot): The tenth and final spot shall be reserved as a "Wild Card". This spot is to be awarded at the discretion of the committee to an overseas player or a player with verified extenuating circumstances that prevented them from qualifying through standard rankings.
Managerial Appointment
The team manager shall be selected by the 9 players subject to the following procedure:
• Candidates interested in the managerial position must formally submit their names for consideration.
• The 9 automatically qualified, ranked players shall hold voting to elect the manager from the list of submitted nominees.
2. Carlow B
The Carlow B Team panel shall consist of ten (10) players, selected via the following criteria:
• Ranked Selection (9 Spots): The nine (9) next available, highest-ranked players on the official Carlow Pool Association ranking standings (following the selection of the A Team) shall receive automatic entry into the panel.
• Wild Card Selection (1 Spot): The tenth and final spot shall be reserved as a "Wild Card" and may be awarded to any valid, registered member of the Carlow Pool Association, regardless of their current ranking status.
Managerial Appointment
The team manager shall be selected by the 9 players subject to the following procedure:
• Candidates interested in the managerial position must formally submit their names for consideration.
• The 9 automatically qualified, ranked players shall hold voting to elect the manager from the list of submitted nominees.
