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Wouldn't be happy with Breffni as a venue, a joke for Galway really given the travel distance compared to the opposition. Anywhere in South Armagh about an hour away, it's two hours from Tuam and as for travelling from West Galway forget it. I don't want to hear about the size of the Galway support base and how many might travel either way, this is an advantage that shouldn't be given in terms of venue access to Armagh.

What do you propose? Having it in the Hyde, that would advantage Galway just as much? Longford and Mullingar simply are too small.

If it was in the Hyde, the vocal Armagh support would (rightly) go bananas. Breffini is equally an unfair venue, if not worse

After a weekend of poor attendances though, it makes a decent crowd more likely, being close to the bigger fanbase. Still doesn't mean Galway should be the ones getting screwed though. Tullamore was/is a perfectly fair venue for both and more than big enough but sounds as if it's been allocated elsewhere

Provincial finalists need a longer break before the groups. There should be a round without them played first to avoid the situation where some team has 4 weeks to prepare for a provincial finalist eg monaghan or mayo putting the finalists at a big disadvantage

Something needs to be done alright to make it more of an advantage to win your provincial, and punish those that don't. If you qualify in seed 3 or 4 you don't deserve the level playing field of one home, one away etc. Never mind actually having an advantage, with the 4-6 week break prior. Hard to know exactly how to construct it though

Galway v Armagh the next day is such a weird game. Unless Armagh think Tyrone may lay an egg v Westmeath (possible because Westmeath are decent), they're completely booked for third. Galway need to take it semi serious incase they get beat and and Tyrone run the score up on Westmeath, but still it's hard to imagine they'll be gung ho in a situation of ifs and buts. Armagh missing their best player also, which probably puts paid to the idea it'll be in Croker in front of a big crowd. Very odd situation

Strange to say we had 3 or 4 top class performances and yet it was a poor display overall. Shows that others were well off the pace, and as a whole, the team is just a bit disjointed at present.

Sending off made a difference, but we were getting on top at that point and would've won regardless. That still doesn't change the fact that Westmeath were probably better for the first 45 mins. For all the talk about our 'control', we still keep kicking ball away.

Cooke and McGrath were immense. Comer and Maher made a savage difference once they came on. Kelly had a good first half and Hernon shook off a shaky first half to get two good scores. Not sure anyone else can be satisfied with their performance.

Hard to know where we are. Keep winning games but bar the odd good half here and there (Monaghan second half, Roscommon first half, Kerry game), I'm not sure we've put in a very good performance all season. You can take positives or negatives from it though, depending on your outlook

Important to note the 5 missed goal chances though (and zero for Westmeath). Had 1 or 2 of those gone in, I suppose the narrative would be different. Not the first time this season we've been incredibly wasteful

Loving it. Potentially the only thing I'd change is 2 getting out from the groups over 3. But still, every weekend there's heaps of football on that I want to watch

Il never understand the attitude of wanting less top level football, to basically going back to seeing your teams and other rival teams playing once or twice a championship. In top level Soccer we see the biggest teams play twice a week for around 30 weeks of the year. A large portion of those games have miniscule importance to the overall picture but doesn't stop people tuning in

In American football, we see teams play for 17 weeks, week on week, until the 'real stuff ' starts with the playoffs. A team can know they're in the playoffs by week 10, and all they've to play for from there is a top seed and bye week (similar to our groups), and yet every game is taken seriously and the fans are still bananas for it.

Over here, if every game isn't a straight knockout it supposedly doesn't matter. We're spitting fire that our best and most successful team might have to play a mere 8 or 9 games to win in a season

Any grand ideas we may have had about increased capacity were crushed around the end of the noughties. It used to be a near sell out for every Dublin game back then, and 3-4 extra per season. Now it's only a true sell out for the finals, with 65k+ attendances reserved for certain big days involving Limerick or Cork hurlers, or an odd football double header including the likes of Armagh or a blockbuster semi like Kerry v Dublin. If anything the stadiums considerably too big now

The oldest part of the stadium, the Cusack, is still perfectly adequate in basically all areas. Corporate facilities there are still not far behind the Hogan side. To have that being the case 30 years on is probably testament to the vision of the admin behind the reconstruction at that time. I suspect we'll see near to zero changes to the stadium for the next 20 years

Jesus I hate to say it but that panel is off the charts with talent , won't be beat this year . I have them backed before I'm accused of form of yerra . Got them @ 13/2 a couple of weeks back .the winnings will help soften the blow

Yeah tis like looking at a Dublin 6 in a row match day panel in their pomp alright.

Stop the lights Larry, you are some ticket.

Haha yeah exactly. Galway fans might know that Fitz was really solid in the league or know of Tomo's talent but I doubt too many outsiders do. I'd say many look at our subs list and say "I thought they were supposed to have added depth??" To be honest, they wouldn't be fully wrong, I think we have a very good 20 or so but there 4 or so there that have no hope of seeing significant gametime this year

A return of McHugh, Eoghan Kelly and potentially Molloy would make it look a lot stronger, hopefully they're all reasonably close. Patrick Kelly would be a great option as cover for one of Tierney/Cooke but is struggling with his back I think.

Dublin still rated as favourites for all ireland with the bookies which given the performance on Sunday and against Kildare is hard to believe.  Be interesting to see who tops the group will expect it to come down to score difference.

There's a high percentage Kerry meet the Group 2 winners (Galway favs at this point) with all the rules about no repeat group pairings, which lengthens boths price from where it could be. Mayo have rightly shortened in, and Dublin still look very likely to top their group

As proud as Roscommon can be with their performance Sunday, I'd be absolutely sick they didn't win if I was a fan. It doesn't materially change their chances of topping the group all that much, as it will now likely come down to scoring difference and Dublin have Sligo in the final game, potentially having an educated guess at how much they'll need to score. We've seen what Dublin can do to teams like this, i.e Laois, and having that game last is a huge advantage.

Roscommon's best hope may be Kildare nabbing something from this weeks game with Dublin, given Dublin's injuries

See, no.

It's the same rule change that was needed a few years ago to prevent teams in front from clock-killing, of which Dublin were prime exponents and Ciaran Kilkenny was executor in chief.

It was a dour way to win games when Dublin did it. It's a dour way to stay competitive now Ros does it.

As mentioned above I have absolute respect for Ros for being competitive and disciplined.

But anyone who believes that our game would not be improved by the prevention elongated periods of non-contact possession, I honestly feel sorry for you. The Gaelic football bar now has been set so low for you, that you can gain enjoyment from a handful of passages of play, over 70 minutes. This is no way to live folks. Demand better.

There a quick fix option to help that would upset noone and it's so painfully obvious that I'm starting to second guess myself at this stage. Just go back to the defined striking action with a closed fist, same as we used to have not long ago whatsoever. Not sure why it was ever changed

It won't stop teams being able to punch it round outside the 65 when there's no press. However when there is a press, all those little easy flicks over the head, or flick backwards while your being tackled, all of a sudden become much harder to execute. It's very difficult to get a closed fistpass away accurately when someone has hands on you. It's very easy to get the little flick with the fingers away.

Team would actually then have a reason to press, having a realistic chance of a turnover. At the moment there's no point, you just tire yourself chasing shadows while the other team plays basketball only without a shot clock

What in under God was McGeeney at with the referee after the final whistle? Eejit.

no need for that, ref was trying to get off the field through the crowd and mcgeeney was determined to get some sort of point across, not the time.

Strange also as I thought Armagh got the majority of the decisions. Open to correction as it's hard to be certain, especially watching on GAA Go but a couple of the scored frees for Armagh in the first half were absolutely ridiculous calls.

Overall he seemed like a ref from the 90s, giving frees always to the player in possession when under any bit of pressure all over the field, ignoring steps and allowing frees to be taken many yards forward from the infringement. That was for and against both teams

All about Galway this year. Ye can call it yerra or whatever you want , they're the team most people fancy . Sean Kelly the best defender in the land , Walsh , comer , Tierney and finnerty , first two X factor footballers other two would make any starting 15 in the country . Cian o neill has them primed for glory . If Dublin can reignite the flame , it will be some final (if avoided before final ) , can't see anyone else spoiling the party in Tuam on 31st July .

Ah Larry, dya not think it's Mayos year? The only thing stopping them all this time has been the fabled curse and that's now removed. Kieran McDonald with his one all star is the greatest player never to lift Sam. If they can only get Cillian o'Connor back fit, we all know of his prolific record from play in finals. The county never truly wanted the 2020 and 2021 finals when with covid they couldn't properly celebrate. The tin roofs from Swinford to Belmullet will be swinging when the day comes in 2 months time

Yerra doesn't sound natural from a Connacht person

Indeed. Kerry folk normally have a bucketful more nuance for starters

If Armagh beat Westmeath, lose to Tyrone but beat Galway they'll have 4 points.
In such a scenario you'd imagine Galway will also be on 4 points if they beat Westmeath
So all three could be on 4 points having lost one match each and won the other two.

So will score difference be the deciding factor in that scenario?
As someone already said elsewhere, I suppose the team that finishes third will want to be avoiding Kerry, assuming they come second now after Mayo.
Is Burns suspended for just one game?

Score diff yep. Very realistic possibility. In that scenario you'd probably give Tyrone the slight advantage as they'll be up against Westmeath last and may know what they need, and westmeaths challenge could peter out of they know they're 100% out

But Westmeath won't be 100% out before the Tyrone game.

Only two games played each before Tyrone meet Westmeath.
And if the fixtures pan out as Fuzzman has suggested above, with two games played the league will look like this.
Galway - 4pts
Armagh - 2pts 
Tyrone - 2pts
Westmeath - 0pts

If Westmeath turn over Tyrone in that last game (big if) then you might end up with 3 teams on 2pts.

No, the scenario is that Westmeath are say 8 points down in that last game to Tyrone, know their season is over at that point, and fade away to allow Tyrone a big score, which would prove pivotal if 3 teams finished with 4 points. They're unlikely to do that late in the games v Armagh and Galway when they'll still have much to play for in the championship

If Armagh beat Westmeath, lose to Tyrone but beat Galway they'll have 4 points.
In such a scenario you'd imagine Galway will also be on 4 points if they beat Westmeath
So all three could be on 4 points having lost one match each and won the other two.

So will score difference be the deciding factor in that scenario?
As someone already said elsewhere, I suppose the team that finishes third will want to be avoiding Kerry, assuming they come second now after Mayo.
Is Burns suspended for just one game?

Score diff yep. Very realistic possibility. In that scenario you'd probably give Tyrone the slight advantage as they'll be up against Westmeath last and may know what they need, and westmeaths challenge could peter out of they know they're 100% out

People do realize that Jack Glynn has a suspected broken jaw? Burns may with that one action have ended the lads full summer. How on earth can there not be a punishment for it?

Everyone loves the big fair shoulder to shoulder hit. But it's been fairly clear for years now that if you dont time and make the connection perfectly accurately, you're going to be off