NFL Division 1 2023

[Maroon Manc]

Galway look a bit short there odds wise, have a good few issues to sort out in terms of GK, kickouts, replacing Molloy and Silke, and getting some squad depth, although it feels those first two issues are a problem every year. Power isn't the answer in goals anyway.
Few players such as Shane Walsh and Sean Kelly need a break and I hope they get it, they are going non stop since this time last year. I would fear that Sigerson commitments for the Moycullen players and playing Division One intensity games is a recipe for disaster.

Staying up in div one and getting some semblance of progress on those problems initially mentioned would be a good league for Galway.
Good to have Cooke back in situ but really need the likes of Billy Mannion or Johnny McGrath to stick the hand up and stake a claim as a viable option for the championship, lack of squad depth (or lads that PJ trusts to come in) ultimately killed Galway last year.

Not sure if Kerry will be going all out to the same extent as last year in the league. I think McStay will have Mayo hitting the ground running for the league, they might be worth a punt.

Agree with all of this, defence a huge worry. Need a couple of defenders to step up and with key players desperately in need of a break and with Sigerson commitments I think Galway are up against in the first few weeks. Mayo is probably the worst possible opening fixture, there'll be no team as fit as Mayo this time of year and don't appear to have too many of their starters playing Sigerson.

Can't afford any more injuries to defenders given Silke & Molloy's absences, Galway had a very good 2022 but was the first year  that all the big talents had been fit; Comer, McDaid & Daly barely kicked a ball in the previous 2 years, it was the first year Comer had been properly fit since 2018.

[joemamas]

This is more of a Connacht/ AI series Q.
If Mayo/Galway/Roscommon finish in bottom two, does that mean the loser in the Connacht Cship between those teams does not qualify for the last 16, as two of them cannot reach the Connacht final.
I am not fully up,to,speed on the new championship format.
Either way it looks like being a very competitive league.

[seafoid]

Galway need a good league after the disaster of 2021.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/darragh-o-se-galway-s-defeat-at-the-death-to-monaghan-is-shocking-and-unforgivable-1.4594401
Monaghan have gone into the last game of the league needing a result three or four times and they’ve always managed to find it. Why are they able to do it and teams like Galway aren’t?
I know you can say the league is the league or whatever but Galway are one of the teams that will only develop properly in Division One. The way they shot themselves in the foot in the closing minutes of that game gave me the impression they didn’t really understand what was at stake. They didn’t protect the ball, they didn’t protect their goal, they didn’t protect their lead. It must be killing Joyce that they gave up a Division One spot so cheaply.  In the first five games of the 2020 league they beat Monaghan, only lost to Kerry in injury time, walloped Tyrone and beat both Donegal and Meath on their home patches. They were top of Division One, they had the most goals of anyone in the country. They were flying.
Look at what they’ve offered since. Hammered by Mayo on their first day back in October. Beaten by Dublin the following week. Lost by a point to Mayo in the Connacht final. On to this year’s league and they’ve been trounced by Kerry, lost to the Dubs, beaten Roscommon and now caught at the death by Monaghan. They’ve gone from a run of four wins from five games to one where they have just one win from their last seven.

This reads absolutely terribly 12 months later. Hindsight and all but D2 last year gave Galway the opportunity to gain a few much needed wins and confidence after two shortened championships where one loss had them out. It didn't hinder Mayo whatsoever the year before and id hazard a guess it wont hinder the dubs in the slightest this year.

Getting to D1 is important for counties trying to establish themselves such as Cork and to a lesser extent Derry this year. For those that have had 2 or 3 years in the division already, a drop back to two for a year doesn't matter much at all. If anything, it'll be easier going forward to get good seeding for the championship by promotion through div 2 than it will be by avoiding relegation in D1. **If you don't win your provincial**, D1 survivors and those promoted from D2 will be No.3 seeds most likely. Relegated teams from D1 will likely be No.4 seeds. Provincial finalists will be 1 & 2

I think you need to be in D1 if you want to win the all-Ireland.

[Armagh18]

This is more of a Connacht/ AI series Q.
If Mayo/Galway/Roscommon finish in bottom two, does that mean the loser in the Connacht Cship between those teams does not qualify for the last 16, as two of them cannot reach the Connacht final.
I am not fully up,to,speed on the new championship format.
Either way it looks like being a very competitive league.

is it not the 8 provincial finalists, Westmeath as TC winners and then the next 7 teams by league ranking outside of those 9? Division 1 teams are safe enough.

[J70]

From a personal perspective on Donegal, I’m less concerned about results than I am about a new management team getting a post-Murphy squad playing a decent and brave brand of football. We went down to Killarney last year and literally sat back and didn’t even attempt to bring the game to Kerry (without Clifford initially) and still got hammered in the end. It was utterly demoralizing and just the beginning of a horrible season, brief glimmers of hope against Armagh (I’m including the first 20 minutes of the qualifier game too) aside.

I reckon we’ll end up with three or four points and get relegated, but as long as progress is made towards getting a settled team that’s willing to have a go, I’ll be happy enough with that. I can’t see us making a mark on the Championship this year no matter what, as we have too many weaknesses in defense (centre back, full back) and need a complete rethink going forward (can’t just run the ball through the hands ALL the time). Transition year for us. It remains to be seen what or when the end point will be. Just hope Paddy Carr is given time and patience and the social media mob behaves.

[Blowitupref]

This is more of a Connacht/ AI series Q.
If Mayo/Galway/Roscommon finish in bottom two, does that mean the loser in the Connacht Cship between those teams does not qualify for the last 16, as two of them cannot reach the Connacht final.
I am not fully up,to,speed on the new championship format.
Either way it looks like being a very competitive league.

is it not the 8 provincial finalists, Westmeath as TC winners and then the next 7 teams by league ranking outside of those 9? Division 1 teams are safe enough.

Yes all of this year's Div 1 teams will be playing the last 16 of the championship.

[APM]

Monaghan are in Division One longer than every team in Ireland apart from  Kerry. The hoors got Galway relegated in 2021 via a playoff.

Did I read somewhere that in the second-half of the last game of the league for each of the last three years, Monaghan have been relegated on paper, before pulling it out of the bag before the final whistle. 

Corey's big problem is that a number of his go-to men are well on the wrong side of 30. But I can see them getting a bit of a bounce from a new manager, and I wouldn't bet against them against Armagh in Blaney in the first game. 

[Armagh18]

Monaghan are in Division One longer than every team in Ireland apart from  Kerry. The hoors got Galway relegated in 2021 via a playoff.

Did I read somewhere that in the second-half of the last game of the league for each of the last three years, Monaghan have been relegated on paper, before pulling it out of the bag before the final whistle. 

Corey's big problem is that a number of his go-to men are well on the wrong side of 30. But I can see them getting a bit of a bounce from a new manager, and I wouldn't bet against them against Armagh in Blaney in the first game.

Bound to have a few decent young lads coming through soon. Tough opener for us for sure.

[Blowitupref]

Monaghan are in Division One longer than every team in Ireland apart from  Kerry. The hoors got Galway relegated in 2021 via a playoff.

Did I read somewhere that in the second-half of the last game of the league for each of the last three years, Monaghan have been relegated on paper, before pulling it out of the bag before the final whistle. 

Corey's big problem is that a number of his go-to men are well on the wrong side of 30. But I can see them getting a bit of a bounce from a new manager, and I wouldn't bet against them against Armagh in Blaney in the first game.

Bound to have a few decent young lads coming through soon. Tough opener for us for sure.

Monaghan won the Ulster minor championship 2018, 19 and finalists in 2020 so yes they should have plenty of good young footballers coming through.

[seafoid]

Monaghan are in Division One longer than every team in Ireland apart from  Kerry. The hoors got Galway relegated in 2021 via a playoff.

Did I read somewhere that in the second-half of the last game of the league for each of the last three years, Monaghan have been relegated on paper, before pulling it out of the bag before the final whistle. 

Corey's big problem is that a number of his go-to men are well on the wrong side of 30. But I can see them getting a bit of a bounce from a new manager, and I wouldn't bet against them against Armagh in Blaney in the first game.

Bound to have a few decent young lads coming through soon. Tough opener for us for sure.

Monaghan won the Ulster minor championship 2018, 19 and finalists in 2020 so yes they should have plenty of good young footballers coming through.

Such a pity that Brendan Óg Ó Dufaigh didn't make it.

[Blowitupref]

Monaghan are in Division One longer than every team in Ireland apart from  Kerry. The hoors got Galway relegated in 2021 via a playoff.

Did I read somewhere that in the second-half of the last game of the league for each of the last three years, Monaghan have been relegated on paper, before pulling it out of the bag before the final whistle. 

Corey's big problem is that a number of his go-to men are well on the wrong side of 30. But I can see them getting a bit of a bounce from a new manager, and I wouldn't bet against them against Armagh in Blaney in the first game.

Bound to have a few decent young lads coming through soon. Tough opener for us for sure.

Monaghan won the Ulster minor championship 2018, 19 and finalists in 2020 so yes they should have plenty of good young footballers coming through.

Such a pity that Brendan Óg Ó Dufaigh didn't make it.

Tragic. Such a talented footballer that i believe would have become established senior.

[seafoid]

Monaghan are in Division One longer than every team in Ireland apart from  Kerry. The hoors got Galway relegated in 2021 via a playoff.

Did I read somewhere that in the second-half of the last game of the league for each of the last three years, Monaghan have been relegated on paper, before pulling it out of the bag before the final whistle. 

Corey's big problem is that a number of his go-to men are well on the wrong side of 30. But I can see them getting a bit of a bounce from a new manager, and I wouldn't bet against them against Armagh in Blaney in the first game.

Bound to have a few decent young lads coming through soon. Tough opener for us for sure.

Monaghan won the Ulster minor championship 2018, 19 and finalists in 2020 so yes they should have plenty of good young footballers coming through.

Such a pity that Brendan Óg Ó Dufaigh didn't make it.

Tragic. Such a talented footballer that i believe would have become established senior.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Refyxz99Xwg

[Armagh18]

Monaghan are in Division One longer than every team in Ireland apart from  Kerry. The hoors got Galway relegated in 2021 via a playoff.

Did I read somewhere that in the second-half of the last game of the league for each of the last three years, Monaghan have been relegated on paper, before pulling it out of the bag before the final whistle. 

Corey's big problem is that a number of his go-to men are well on the wrong side of 30. But I can see them getting a bit of a bounce from a new manager, and I wouldn't bet against them against Armagh in Blaney in the first game.

Bound to have a few decent young lads coming through soon. Tough opener for us for sure.

Monaghan won the Ulster minor championship 2018, 19 and finalists in 2020 so yes they should have plenty of good young footballers coming through.

Such a pity that Brendan Óg Ó Dufaigh didn't make it.

Tragic. Such a talented footballer that i believe would have become established senior.

awful of course. A great lad by all accounts. He was part of the wider senior panel when he passed away I believe.

[trailer]

I think Monaghan might hold on this year. Roscommon and Donegal look to be relegation fodder.

*Completely unprepared if this statement comes back to bite me.

[Armagh18]

I think Monaghan might hold on this year. Roscommon and Donegal look to be relegation fodder.

*Completely unprepared if this statement comes back to bite me.

hope you’re right lol