2016 All Ireland U-21 football championship

[Captain Obvious]

Starts on Wednesday


LEINSTER
Wednesday, February 24
Round 1
Wicklow v Carlow
Wexford v Longford
Louth v Laois

Wednesday, March 2
Quarter-Finals
Wexford/Longford v Westmeath
Kildare v Offaly
Louth/Laois v Wicklow/Carlow
Meath v Dublin

March 16/19 Semi-Finals

Wednesday, March 30 Final
***
ULSTER
Wednesday, March 9
Round 1
Derry v Antrim

Wednesday, March 16
Quarter-Finals
Monaghan v Fermanagh (1)
Down v Armagh (2)
Cavan v Tyrone (3)
Donegal v Derry/Antrim (4)

Wednesday, March 30

Semi-Finals
1 v 2
3 v 4

April 6 Final
***
MUNSTER Wednesday, March 9

Quarter-Finals
Clare v Cork
Kerry v Tipperary

Wednesday, March 16
Semi-Finals
Waterford v Clare/Cork
Limerick v Kerry/Tipperary

Thursday, April 7 Final
***
CONNACHT

Wednesday, March 9
Round 1
Roscommon v Galway

March 16/19
Semi-Finals
Sligo v Roscommon/Galway
Leitrim v Mayo

Saturday, April 2 Final

***

Saturday, April 16
All Ireland Semi-Finals
Connacht v Leinster
Ulster v Munster

Saturday, April 30
All-Ireland Final

***

Tyrone,Dublin,Mayo,Kerry favourites to win their provincal championships and Kerry with Jack O Connor as manager are favourites to win the All Ireland.

[Rossfan]

Seems we'll be gone from day 1 due to best players injured and a weaker squad than we've had for 7 years.
Ah well...

[heffo]

Are Meath moaning about fixtures again this year?

[Cunny Funt]

I don't think Dublin are as strong as previous years which should give Kildare the opportunity to win Leinster. It's a while since Mayo,Kerry have won provincial titles at this level that wait should be end for both this year. In Ulster Tyrone look the best again with Donegal their closest challengers.

[Syferus]

Seems we'll be gone from day 1 due to best players injured and a weaker squad than we've had for 7 years.
Ah well...

Have you put the money on us losing then Rossfan.

[redzone]

Starts on Wednesday


LEINSTER
Wednesday, February 24
Round 1
Wicklow v Carlow
Wexford v Longford
Louth v Laois

Wednesday, March 2
Quarter-Finals
Wexford/Longford v Westmeath
Kildare v Offaly
Louth/Laois v Wicklow/Carlow
Meath v Dublin

March 16/19 Semi-Finals

Wednesday, March 30 Final
***
ULSTER
Wednesday, March 9
Round 1
Derry v Antrim

Wednesday, March 16
Quarter-Finals
Monaghan v Fermanagh (1)
Down v Armagh (2)
Cavan v Tyrone (3)
Donegal v Derry/Antrim (4)

Wednesday, March 30

Semi-Finals
1 v 2
3 v 4

April 6 Final
***
MUNSTER Wednesday, March 9

Quarter-Finals
Clare v Cork
Kerry v Tipperary

Wednesday, March 16
Semi-Finals
Waterford v Clare/Cork
Limerick v Kerry/Tipperary

Thursday, April 7 Final
***
CONNACHT

Wednesday, March 9
Round 1
Roscommon v Galway

March 16/19
Semi-Finals
Sligo v Roscommon/Galway
Leitrim v Mayo

Saturday, April 2 Final

***

Saturday, April 16
All Ireland Semi-Finals
Connacht v Leinster
Ulster v Munster

Saturday, April 30
All-Ireland Final

***

Tyrone,Dublin,Mayo,Kerry favourites to win their provincal championships and Kerry with Jack O Connor as manager are favourites to win the All Ireland.

The big 4 will always be favourites but it doesn't always work out like that. I know we have Cavan up first in Cavan and after them being Mcrory champs last year it will be a tricky one

[sligoman2]

I think we will struggle this year but I'm looking forward to the minor championship.
Connacht colleges A final will be contested between two Sligo Schools - Summerhill and Saint Attractas
First time ever this has happened and the first time the winner will be from Sligo since 1985. 
Hopefully this converts into good minor and U21 teams in the coming years.

[Rossfan]

Seems we'll be gone from day 1 due to best players injured and a weaker squad than we've had for 7 years.
Ah well...

Have you put the money on us losing then Rossfan.

Against my Religion a Shyfìn
But I'm not hopeful.

[Captain Obvious]

The big 4 will always be favourites but it doesn't always work out like that. I know we have Cavan up first in Cavan and after them being Mcrory champs last year it will be a tricky one

I don't think Kerry or Mayo were favorites last year the other two were and rightly so. Tyrone had a good win yesterday against Monaghan in the Shamrock Cup.

[Schkite]

For Monaghan this will be the group that won the Ulster minor so I'd be hopeful we'll give Ulster a good rattle again. We should be in with a good shout of making the final anyway looking at the draw.

But of course Tyrone could easily have won that minor final and beat us in the Shamrock Cup at the weekend, and obviously are defending champions. Rightly strong favourites.

[Syferus]

Seems we'll be gone from day 1 due to best players injured and a weaker squad than we've had for 7 years.
Ah well...

Have you put the money on us losing then Rossfan.

Against my Religion a Shyfìn
But I'm not hopeful.

If it's half as good as the game in Tuam last year we're in for a treat.

[Cunny Funt]

I think we will struggle this year but I'm looking forward to the minor championship.
Connacht colleges A final will be contested between two Sligo Schools - Summerhill and Saint Attractas
First time ever this has happened and the first time the winner will be from Sligo since 1985. 
Hopefully this converts into good minor and U21 teams in the coming years.

Fair play to Sligo getting their house in order at underage. Reached the Connacht minor final last year and might go one better and win Connacht this year.

[galwayman]

Not sure how our lads are shaping up this year so far.
Our last 3 minor teams were decent but not sure what the drop off rate in the meantime has been.
Certainly I know several of the starters from the 2013 minors are not on the panel now.

[ballinaman]

I think we will struggle this year but I'm looking forward to the minor championship.
Connacht colleges A final will be contested between two Sligo Schools - Summerhill and Saint Attractas
First time ever this has happened and the first time the winner will be from Sligo since 1985. 
Hopefully this converts into good minor and U21 teams in the coming years.

Fair play to Sligo getting their house in order at underage. Reached the Connacht minor final last year and might go one better and win Connacht this year.

Saw both Semi finals. Summerhill look the stronger outfit, should win handy enough. Bit of a no brainer for county board to pump money into summerhill and attractas, as majority of minor squad will come from those two schools.

[Syferus]

I think we will struggle this year but I'm looking forward to the minor championship.
Connacht colleges A final will be contested between two Sligo Schools - Summerhill and Saint Attractas
First time ever this has happened and the first time the winner will be from Sligo since 1985. 
Hopefully this converts into good minor and U21 teams in the coming years.

Fair play to Sligo getting their house in order at underage. Reached the Connacht minor final last year and might go one better and win Connacht this year.

CBS getting to the AI A final did absolutely nothing for the minor team. Sligo have been strong at schools for a long time without it ever effecting the county team.