Super 8s

[Captain Obvious]

The fixture arrangement for the fantastic four

Saturday August 10th 5pm

Group 2 winner v Group 1 runner up

Sunday August 11th 3:30 pm

Group 1 winner v Group 2 runner up

So the reward for the winner of Tyrone v Dublin is a 6 day turnaround to a semi-final?

I think the winner of Donegal v Mayo will be hoping Tyrone can win that round 3 tie at home against a likely 2nd string Dublin team as 7 day turnaround against that juggernaut is not enough time to prepare.  Needs to be at least a two week break before the All Ireland semi finals, why wasn't that flaw adjusted last year?

[Jayop]

The fixture arrangement for the fantastic four

Saturday August 10th 5pm

Group 2 winner v Group 1 runner up

Sunday August 11th 3:30 pm

Group 1 winner v Group 2 runner up

So the reward for the winner of Tyrone v Dublin is a 6 day turnaround to a semi-final?

I think the winner of Donegal v Mayo will be hoping Tyrone can win that round 3 tie at home against a likely 2nd string Dublin team as 7 day turnaround against that juggernaut is not enough time to prepare.  Needs to be at least a two week break before the All Ireland semi finals, why wasn't that flaw adjusted last year?

Of course everyone in group 1 will be hoping to face Tyrone in the semi final. Dublin are already a much scarier prospect but Tyrone will also be playing their 7th game in 8 weeks with 6 of those games all being played away from Tyrone. The stress on the players of that cannot be understated.

[rashCharacter]

I think the super 8 experiment has failed - I can't see any advantages over the old knockout quarter finals.
'Champions league style' groups stages just aren't appealing in my opinion - knockout games are what people want to see

[Jayop]

I think the super 8 experiment has failed - I can't see any advantages over the old knockout quarter finals.
'Champions league style' groups stages just aren't appealing in my opinion - knockout games are what people want to see

Group 2 has been a flop this year with 2 dead rubbers now in the final week, but group 1 has been very entertaining so far with good tight games and 3 teams still able to qualify on the final day.

The 2017 quarter finals were all blow outs apart from the drawn Mayo/Rossie game which Mayo hammered them in the replay.
In 2016 only the Tyrone/Mayo game was close.
In 2015 Tyrone/Monaghan was the closest with a 4 point win.
In 2014 there was 2 close games.
In 2013 only 1 game, Tyrone and Monaghan was close again.
In 2012 There was 2 close games.
In 2011 1 close game
In 2010 no close games at all.

So in the final 7 years of the All Ireland quarter finals knockout there was 28 games played and only 8/9 close games that weren't comfortable wins.

The fact is that there's not 8 teams that can put it up to each other.

[Cunny Funt]

I think the super 8 experiment has failed - I can't see any advantages over the old knockout quarter finals.
'Champions league style' groups stages just aren't appealing in my opinion - knockout games are what people want to see

Group 2 has been a flop this year with 2 dead rubbers now in the final week, but group 1 has been very entertaining so far with good tight games and 3 teams still able to qualify on the final day.

The 2017 quarter finals were all blow outs apart from the drawn Mayo/Rossie game which Mayo hammered them in the replay.
In 2016 only the Tyrone/Mayo game was close.
In 2015 Tyrone/Monaghan was the closest with a 4 point win.
In 2014 there was 2 close games.
In 2013 only 1 game, Tyrone and Monaghan was close again.
In 2012 There was 2 close games.
In 2011 1 close game
In 2010 no close games at all.

So in the final 7 years of the All Ireland quarter finals knockout there was 28 games played and only 8/9 close games that weren't comfortable wins.

The fact is that there's not 8 teams that can put it up to each other.

Regardless of past results I think the last two years has proved that we don't need the last eight to dragged out with a group stage. For as good as Kerry v Donegal was last week it was silly missing that knock out element to it.

[Captain Obvious]

The fixture arrangement for the fantastic four

Saturday August 10th 5pm

Group 2 winner v Group 1 runner up

Sunday August 11th 3:30 pm

Group 1 winner v Group 2 runner up

So the reward for the winner of Tyrone v Dublin is a 6 day turnaround to a semi-final?

I think the winner of Donegal v Mayo will be hoping Tyrone can win that round 3 tie at home against a likely 2nd string Dublin team as 7 day turnaround against that juggernaut is not enough time to prepare.  Needs to be at least a two week break before the All Ireland semi finals, why wasn't that flaw adjusted last year?

Of course everyone in group 1 will be hoping to face Tyrone in the semi final. Dublin are already a much scarier prospect but Tyrone will also be playing their 7th game in 8 weeks with 6 of those games all being played away from Tyrone. The stress on the players of that cannot be understated.

My point is its best to avoid Dublin until you have a few weeks to prepare for such a challenge.

A lot of games for Tyrone in a short space of time but lets be fair Tyrone are one of the few teams that can cope with a situation like that due to the serious conditioning level they have (the departing Peter Donnelly to thank for that) and are fairly lucky when it comes to injuries.  The two week break currently has come at a good time to iron out any fatigue in place and Mickey is unlikely to go will a full strength team for that round 3 dead rubber game either.

[Hound]

Of course everyone in group 1 will be hoping to face Tyrone in the semi final. Dublin are already a much scarier prospect but Tyrone will also be playing their 7th game in 8 weeks with 6 of those games all being played away from Tyrone. The stress on the players of that cannot be understated.

Apart from the few first teamers who need the gametime, the above is the reason why I expect Harte will play virtually a second 15 v Dublin.

Dublin have played less games, so there's less need for rest, but playing first teamers 6 days before a semi in a dead rubber is a bit of an unnecessary risk.
This time last year, we had just got a good test off Tyrone and thus rested 10 for the game v Roscommon (2 defenders, 2 midfielders and 6 forwards). This year, we haven't been pushed as hard, so maybe Gavin will decide lads need more games. Still I reckon we'll make at least 10 changes from last week.

I think the super 8 experiment has failed - I can't see any advantages over the old knockout quarter finals.
'Champions league style' groups stages just aren't appealing in my opinion - knockout games are what people want to see

The games in the S8 have pretty good this year in my view, Rossies probably the only ones genuinely disappointed with their performances. The big weakness was that Tyrone v Dublin wasn't in Round 2, it would have prolonged interest in the group.

[Blowitupref]

Group 2 has been a flop this year with 2 dead rubbers now in the final week, but group 1 has been very entertaining so far with good tight games and 3 teams still able to qualify on the final day.

Group 2 went as expected with last year's All Ireland finalists reaching the last 4 with a game to spare.

Group 1 had one very entertaining game but what ran through my head while watching it was what will Dublin will score against loose marking defences like that?  Kerry beat Mayo by 10 and Donegal,Mayo beat Meath by 9 points. Tyrone's two games v Cork and Roscommon was tighter games as they only won by 3 and 4 points. 

[irish345]

The super 8s are a drag if they played the quarter finals and semis over 1 weekend each  like two quarter finals on saturday then the other two on a sunday then the semi finals a week or two earlier as either a double header on a sunday or one on saturday and sunday they could have the all ireland all wrapped up by august

Unless they play the summer 8s a week with midweek games on a tuesday and wednesday but that would never happen

[irish345]

The summer 8s  i meant to say the super 8s

[JoeSoap]

The best thing about the Super 8s has been bringing big championship matches out to grounds that don't usually get them later in the summer. As disappointing as last year was, having Ballybofey host a massive championship match in July with an All-Ireland semi-final at stake was magic for the town.

I'm not sure on the format myself and think it drags things a little bit, but if there's one thing the GAA should take from it, it's to bring more big games out around the country.

[Blowitupref]

The best thing about the Super 8s has been bringing big championship matches out to grounds that don't usually get them later in the summer. As disappointing as last year was, having Ballybofey host a massive championship match in July with an All-Ireland semi-final at stake was magic for the town.

I'm not sure on the format myself and think it drags things a little bit, but if there's one thing the GAA should take from it, it's to bring more big games out around the country.

One way of keeping that and to stop the current dragged out system would be to go back to stand alone knock out All Ireland quarter finals and give home advantage to the provincial winner. (For Dublin Parnell park and if deemed not big enough they can choose a neutral venue other than Croke Park)

[Zulu]

The current system is in response to an in-depth review of the game and was an attempt to give people what they wanted.

The reason there's groups at the QF stage is because people wanted to keep the provincials but also make the run in to an All Ireland final fairer (amongst other issues).


Nobody, not even Pauric Duffy, claimed they were the perfect solution but they are definitely far better than the old QF format. We've already had two massive games of national interest, Kerry v Mayo and Kerry v Donegal and we have another one to look forward to in Mayo v Donegal.


There is literially nothing about knockout QF's that beat this system in my opinion.

[irish345]

The best thing about the Super 8s has been bringing big championship matches out to grounds that don't usually get them later in the summer. As disappointing as last year was, having Ballybofey host a massive championship match in July with an All-Ireland semi-final at stake was magic for the town.

I'm not sure on the format myself and think it drags things a little bit, but if there's one thing the GAA should take from it, it's to bring more big games out around the country.

One way of keeping that and to stop the current dragged out system would be to go back to stand alone knock out All Ireland quarter finals and give home advantage to the provincial winner. (For Dublin Parnell park and if deemed not big enough they can choose a neutral venue other than Croke Park)

i always that should have been the rule home advantage to provincial champions made more sense and gives another reason to win provincial title

[Redhand Santa]

The current system is in response to an in-depth review of the game and was an attempt to give people what they wanted.

The reason there's groups at the QF stage is because people wanted to keep the provincials but also make the run in to an All Ireland final fairer (amongst other issues).


Nobody, not even Pauric Duffy, claimed they were the perfect solution but they are definitely far better than the old QF format. We've already had two massive games of national interest, Kerry v Mayo and Kerry v Donegal and we have another one to look forward to in Mayo v Donegal.


There is literially nothing about knockout QF's that beat this system in my opinion.

There was also great occasions in Ballybofey and Roscommon. There's been far more about the super 8s this year than most of the quarter final line ups this decade. People seem to have their minds made up on the games and format before they give it a go. The football has also been much more attacking
With very little low scoring.