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The only reason McMahon mightn't get it is because of some unsavoury incidents. Like him or not, if it's based on performances alone then McMahon will win it.

I agree - and because of where he's from/his background. He has had a brilliant year.

Are you suggesting there is snobbery in the GAA?

I'd say Dublin should be a little worried about their underage structures. Last year they were beaten in AI semis by Donegal. This year didn't make it out of Leinster. The current U17s were hammered this year by Cavan in Gerry Reilly tournament.

I cant believe people are ignoring what O'Connor did in the first few minutes. He knew what he was doing when he swung his elbow, causing O'Carroll to receive ten stitches. He has previous form with his elbows, he split McMahon with his elbow back in 13 final. Dirtiest forward in GAA.

To me the biggest surprise was Mayo being so far off the pace of Galway at home.

I believe one of our starting midfielders was injured before the game and the 2nd went off after 20 minutes. We may not have beaten Galway but it might have been closer if we had those two

Isn't it true that Claremorris, probably the best minor club team in Connacht,  had a dispute with the Mayo management team and withdrew their players from the Minor panel during the year, hence the poor showing/

That couldn't account for the almighty hammering we got. We were so thoroughly hammered all over the field that I was near certain we were looking a special Galway team. Then they drew with Sligo and get beaten by Tipp. The only consolation is the old saying "you can never tell with minors".

To be fair to our lads their stand out midfielder pulled out injured just before the game yesterday and the lad who was their best forward during the course of the Connacht championship went off injured early. May have lost anyway but those were two big body blows one after another.

Not a regular starter, Davy Byrne

Dub 8)lin won by 5

Heard there was a massive brawl in the first minute of the Dublin V Armagh challenge game during the week. Started in first minute and went on for quite a bit. Ref left them sort it out and then restarted the game. One Dublin player had his nose broke and eye socket fractured.

Great response from Mayo in second half. However I thought they were going to ground very easy and was disgusted to see O'Shea giving the ref the card sign when he was taken down. Watching too much sky if you ask me. Has Donaghy really being injured all season. Made a huge impact when he came on.

This ref was officiating at the Colleges B final in Croke Park in April and was very very fussy then. Doesn't seem to understand what is and isn't a legitimate tackle; so any physical contact at all is penalised.

I think this is the best team Dublin have ever produced. However they haven't earned the right to be called the best ever. As they are so young, they certainly have the potential to go on and be up there with the best Kerry and other counties have produced.

I wonder if the Donegal lads were asked where they would like to play their semi final game against Dublin, what their answer would be.

I really don't get it. As someone who has a family member on a development squad in Dublin, I don't think they are treated any differently than kids from other counties. They train a couple of times a week. They parents pay for all the transport costs. All they get is a bit of training gear, nothing else. Clubs in Dublin have GPO, half of which is paid for by the club. There are plenty of clubs in Dublin who are still under severe financial strain. What the Dublin County Board hasn't done yet, is built a training complex like many other counties. While I have visited these academies in Louth and Newbridge, they are fine establishments but is it really necessary to have buildings as big as the Shelbourne Hotel. Dublin development squads depend of the generousity of the local clubs for training facilities. I know that there are plans for Abbotstown, which Dublin will pay 2million towards, and it will be open to everyone.

As regards the population theory, while it is an advantage, there are huge swathes of Dublin where GAA is very much a minority sport.

The only sport in the world where you are encouraged to dismantle the most well run, successful set up in the land.

Soccer 's most famous country is Brazil, who are the same size as the whole of Europe with a population of 200million. Yet they were dismantled by Germany. Nobody was calling for either country to be split in two.

The driving force behind this desire to split Dublin is SPITE.

Its all down to talent and the way it was nurtured. Are the GAA supposed to split every big club in the country in two to make things even.

Get real

What a load of poppycock being talked here. Its like saying Brazil should be split in two because they have a population of 200,000 million.

Amalgamate the weaker counties, its the only way to go, if these counties want to see their countymen playing football in Croke Park in August. Even if you do split Dublin, they will still be there in August, only this time two Dublin teams. Do country people really want to see that.

Just have the two Dublins play each other in the first round. Job on.

I'd also advocate an open draw