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Wouldn't be comparing it professional sports. The proof will be in the pudding for the All Ireland Quarter finals this summer. I believe Mayo and Tyrone would have given a better account of themselves last year with more time to prepare for their Quarter final and it's worth taking into account Tyrone and Mayo would be among the best when it come to fitness and conditioning of their players.   

No point in pulling out hypothetical situations to fit your narrative. Both Kerry and Dublin would widely be seen as better sides with bigger squads than either Tyrone or Mayo. I could equally point to how a rested Armagh were knocked out by Monaghan (after extra time) despite them playing 3 weeks in a row and who were seen as underdogs prior to that match. There are a whole range of factors that could affect a result including momentum, injuries, suspensions, illness, match fitness, confidence, freshness etc.

It might well be an advantage depending on the circumstances but I just don't think its as cut and dried as some people try to make out. There will be players who would much prefer to be playing every week because if they aren't they are invariably spending a full day in a training camp on the weekend before the next match anyway.   

Because we shite the bed lol.

I definitely think that we are one of those teams that benefit from playing week on week. Too much time for analysis when we have a longer lead in period with long training weekends that can be mentally draining. Maybe its not the same for every county but we are much better when we don't focus too much on the opposition and concentrate on our own strengths. 

Wouldn't be comparing it professional sports. The proof will be in the pudding for the All Ireland Quarter finals this summer. I believe Mayo and Tyrone would have given a better account of themselves last year with more time to prepare for their Quarter final and it's worth taking into account Tyrone and Mayo would be among the best when it come to fitness and conditioning of their players.   

No point in pulling out hypothetical situations to fit your narrative. Both Kerry and Dublin would widely be seen as better sides with bigger squads than either Tyrone or Mayo. I could equally point to how a rested Armagh were knocked out by Monaghan (after extra time) despite them playing 3 weeks in a row and who were seen as underdogs prior to that match. There are a whole range of factors that could affect a result including momentum, injuries, suspensions, illness, match fitness, confidence, freshness etc.

It might well be an advantage depending on the circumstances but I just don't think its as cut and dried as some people try to make out. There will be players who would much prefer to be playing every week because if they aren't they are invariably spending a full day in a training camp on the weekend before the next match anyway.   

Well Tyrone looked like a team that were out on there feet against Donegal at the finish, and that was just after their second consecutive game. Why oh why are you comparing amateur players who go to work on a Monday to a professional. 

Firstly Tyrone played 2 periods of extra time in both games so that was going to be a factor for anybody who played the full 100 minutes in both matches. The last match of the round robin can't go to extra time so you wouldn't have those circumstances for a preliminary quarter final.

I've heard it said before that GAA athletes are just as fit as some professional sportsmen and I do believe this to be the case in plenty of instances. The biggest difference will be in recovery time so I accept that. However if you trawl through a lot of the top county squads you will find plenty of lads that aren't going to work on Monday morning especially after a big intercounty fixture.   

I'm not sure this extra week is that big of a deal at all. Professional soccer players are capable of playing 90 minute matches every 3/4 days in peak season and I've seen people claim that GAA players at the top level are just as fit. So these players are well capable of fully recovering physically in the space of 7 days.

What about the advantage of getting into a rhythm of playing top level games week on week. I certainly don't think its anywhere near as big of a deal as many people make out.

Seems daft having a draw before the provincial championships are even played. The only teams that serves is the teams that are beaten already.

That was impressive from Meath, they were getting better as the game went on. The number 5 will probably run home tonight, he was like a duracell bunny.

It's a whole load of games to whittle the number of teams down from 16 to 12. And when the draw is made you will be able to predict the 4 teams who will be eliminated with a fair degree of certainty. The main interest will centre around which teams top their groups. 

[All the expectation on Donegal to succeed.]

Odds

Paddy Power

Donegal 8/13
Armagh 6/5

Boyle Sports

Donegal 4/5
Armagh 11/8

Draw is 7/1

All the expectation on Donegal to succeed. Would go against logic if McGeeney (holding back Armagh according to some) was to topple a Donegal side managed by McGuinness with a clear focus to win Ulster since he returned.

I'm not so sure about that. There is at least as much expectation on Armagh and it seems like we are either one victory away from a major breakthrough or one defeat away from another meltdown. Time is running out for a lot of our older players so I feel a bit like it is now or never for this group. If we can win Ulster it would be a very good season and we can go into the AI series with a lot more freedom and confidence. 

The final is a game that's got 0.13 to 0.12 written all over it! It will be an arm wrestle. My biggest fear is the Armagh sideline, there'll no doubt by some unnecessary tactical masterstroke from McGeeney. It'll likely be a game that will be won ugly, so i don't care how it's won, but I would really like to see us play to our strengths and have some balls.

I hope geezer doesn't over think it too much. We need to learn the lesson from 2022 and the 2 matches against Donegal that year. The first match in Ballybofey we played to try and counteract Donegals strengths and ended up getting soundly beaten. A change in tactical approach a few weeks later and we won the game comfortably by playing to our own strengths. I would like to think that the lessons will have been learned and that we play the game on our terms and not try and beat Donegal at a game which they are the masters at.

It might have even been part of the thinking by holding some of the big players in reserve for the League final earlier in the year.

It's the proverbial 50/50 match but I think Armagh have a bit more scoring power up front. But it's now or never for this Armagh side whereas with Donegal you feel as though they could be around for a few years.

Donegal must'nt have much faith in their squad, they keep recycling their subs.

That was great defending by Hampsey.

This game merits a penalty shoot out, total stalemate.

Mattie Donnelly must be a MOTM contender, he's been excellent again today.

Niblick acting like Morgan saved the day at the end there - should have been a routine high ball claimed by him, and they'd be in the final already

Some of these days he will run out of superlatives to use in commentary.