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Absolutely, but seen the days where we were losing to Fermanagh and Cavan in Ulster first round games. (Did Down actually beat us under Geezer as well?)

Yes, the complete shame of being beaten by Down.
We are in the race now, but it is amazing that Geezer was kept on through Div 3 and not winning a game in Ulster.

Would it be worth rotating Dublin through the other provinces every year? Give the Leinster teams a chance and give Kerry a kick in the hole every few years?

It wouldn't solve the All Ireland problem.

Armagh have shown glimpses of the 2022 championship form this year but I'd still be worried that they will slip back into last years negative mindset when faced with better opposition. The same thing happened in the League final again when the stakes were heightened and the fear of losing took over. 

The Ulster final, should we get there, could well be the defining game of the season because they won't be winning an All Ireland title. For a lot of those players it's probably the last chance saloon to try and win meaningful silverware.

Is it meaningful silverware?

No, neither is the league, Sam is the only show in town!! 

the Ulster championship has an important advantage in that someone other than Dublin has to win it.

how many counties would a train station in clones benefit?

Armagh, hoor's only have trains to Belfast and the rest of the place connecting via Dublin the critters

Was waiting on the shout going up before last weekend about needing extra trains to Enniskillen 🤪

Armagh ones love an auld train.

Brewster park would be 12 mins walk from the railway station.

If that's the answer, what was the question?

Describe a Gaelic football game in the style of cynical analyst.

Lads still think it's a session incoming or you have the ex players now pundits still thinking about the glory days on that pitch. I don't think it would take an awful lot of investment to tidy it up a bit with facilities and pathways etc. You're never putting more covered areas though.

I've got soaked in Clones some times over the years. Only really remember 1 nice sunny day, 94 Ulster final v Tyrone.

It has been allowed to decline owing to attention on the mirage of the Cathedral at Casement. It could be tided up and while the hill will never be roofed, behind either goal could be. I've had roasting hot days at Clones too when the factor 50 was needed, but that will not happen in April.

The 2nd half was a draw. Yes the game was already won, but the better sides would just keep going and rack up a cricket score.
For what it's worth, Armagh should beat Down and I've no doubt they'll give who ever they play in Ulster Final a game of it. But for me, they're not yet playing at the level you'd expect of a team with ambitions to win Ulster. It still might come...but against a Fermanagh side that were beaten 20 mins in you'd have expected them to pull away in the 2nd half. That's the worrying bit for Armagh in my view.

A bit worrying is not a bad place to be, more work is needed and complacency is entirely inappropriate.

Will 22k turn up to Clones this year for Down v Armagh ?. I'd be surprised if it gets 15k. Standing on thr hill last year surrounded by the buckfast brigade is not something to experience. Let alone the pissing rain in a kip of a ground and getting a hiding.   

I'd say that if both Down and Armagh were motoring well there would be a good crowd, but as you say Down people do not anticipate victory. Perhaps they should let people designate their county and guarantee an Ulster final ticket if that county wins.

Spillane, Brolly and O'Rourke while entertaining in some ways, had long since run out of anything fresh to say. Chat GPT could churn out what they were going to say about every game...before it was even played.

The Point: A player kicks the ball over the crossbar. The crowd yawns. A white flag flutters. A point! But what's the point, really?
The Goal: A primal scream—a player hurls the ball into the net. The crowd blinks. A green flag unfurls. A goal! But why? No one knows.
The Heroes:

The Keeper: A masochist in goal, diving to save shots. His life motto: "Embrace pain, reject logic."
The Midfield Maestros: They weave spells, teleporting the ball. Their secret? A pact with leprechauns.
The Forwards: Like lost souls, they sprint toward the heavens, seeking redemption. Spoiler alert: They won't find it here.
The Aftermath: Bruised, bewildered, the players emerge. Victors or vanquished, they've achieved... well, nothing. The crowd—half-asleep—mumbles their names.

The All-Ireland Senior Championship: A cosmic farce, held at Croke Park. Crowds gather, hoping for enlightenment. They leave with sunburns and existential dread.

[Joe's mother is a Tyrone man]

Calling Mickey Harte 'that man' seems a lot more barbed than for simply taking on the Derry job, Joe's mother is a Tyrone man and he has a certain fondness for Tyrone that comes through occasionally, he's making the MH issue sound a lot more personal

Janey, that's very modern, altogether.

We all know the Leinster championship has not always been fair or competitive.

But this is the roll of Honour since 2005

Dublin (18) 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

Meath (1) 2010 and that was an unholy mess.

Two decades of this dominance, and it will only continue.....

what odds that Dublin win the next 10, or 20?

21,000 at this game. Leinster Championship is alive and kicking.

Many in Portlaoise yesterday and today?

The one game that might have filled Portlaoise played in Croke Park.

The other Counties should surely have home and away arrangements so that 1 set of supporters wouldn't have to travel.

Home and away is only a thing in mini provinces.

6 Games for 13/14 April:

4 Leinster Quarter-finals:
 
13-Apr  Offaly 2-13 Laois 1-8
14-Apr  Dublin v Meath
14-Apr  Kildare v Wicklow
14-Apr  Louth v Wexford

2 Ulster Quarter-finals:

13-Apr   Down 0-13 Antrim 0-9
14-Apr   Fermanagh v Armagh

Thought Laois would have had more in them going by league results. anyone see it?

Me too. I thought it'd be a 50/50 game.

Laois had a man sent off in first half I think.

Maybe there's a huge gap between lower Div. 2 & 3 and Div. 4.

Would have thought Laois be a mid division 3 team if they got their act together. Championship is great for the shock result. Leinster would be unreal only for Dublin.

Dont think Laois can give the league final excuse like Westmeath did.

Does this mean that McNulty will have go back to just being an MLA?

Will someone pulleeassse think of the the children............., and discuss the Down v Antrim game.

Children shouldn't be allowed to watch that, with its pre throw in aggro.