Sam Maguire Qualifiers 2022

[JoeSoap]

Having seen Armagh and Derry up close (Armagh too many times unfortunately), I think Derry would win that potential semi-final matchup. I think Armagh play some lovely stuff but in my opinion Derry are cuter and are more than capable of sticking with Armagh physically. I also think McKaigue would swallow Rian O'Neill up and that is really Armagh's attack - as good as Armagh's forwards are in general, everything runs through O'Neill in terms of playmaking as well so if you nullify him they really struggle.

I also don't think Armagh have anyone that could live with the likes of Glass and Rodgers when they get going.

But really I may be over-egging Derry a bit. They just remind me of Donegal in 2011/12. I think they can go as far as they want to this year. They may come up short for Sam if they face Dublin as the Dubs are just so good at playing against the system Derry play now, but I think they can beat any other team left in the competition. It's all about their mindset now and in that regard I think Clare is the perfect draw for them because while Clare are clearly a very good side, I think Derry should beat them even if they're not fully tuned in.

Don't mean to discount Galway either, that quarter final is a toss-up really. I expect that to be the pick of the quarters, it should be a cracking game - 2 very similar teams in their talent and while Galway have gone defensive against Mayo for example, they're more than capable of playing the attacking expansive game. I don't know Galway's defenders too well, who would be earmarked for Rian O'Neill? For Armagh I would put Jarlath Óg on Shane Walsh to try and stick with him athletically and maybe force him back the other way. Forker will go on Comer I'm guessing.

[Milltown Row2]

Paddy Power

Galway 1/1  v Armagh 1/1 & 15/2 draw

Kerry 3/10 v Mayo 10/3 & 9/1 draw

Dublin 1/50 v Cork 16/1 & 33/1 draw

Derry 1/8 v Clare 11/2 & 14/1 draw

3 Munster teams in the quarters.. When did that happen last?

2016 Clare, Kerry, Tipperary
2011 Cork, Kerry, Limerick

And there's me thinking Munster teams were crap bar Kerry

[An Watcher]

Just out of interest how confident would derry be of beating galway considering the drubbing they handed out on the last day of the league.  Were derry missing players that day?

[Wildweasel74]

Armagh talking about a all Ireland final already, think Derry just focus on Clare game.

[JoG2]

Worst draw for us. Would have taken Clare or Cork to be honest.
Certainly capable of winning it at the same time but will have to bring our A game to have a chance.

Could be the game of the quarters.

[Redhand Santa]

Wonder what way they'll split the quarter finals. Dublin usually on the Saturday and I'd say it'll be same this time. The two big games are Kerry Mayo and Galway Armagh and they should have top billing each day but you'd imagine Dublin will be the second match (which probably suits most travelling teams on a Saturday evening anyway).

I think best chance of maximising attendance is to put Kerry Mayo on before Dublin Cork on the Saturday. The ulster teams would then bring big enough support to get a decent crowd on the Sunday.

I'm confused by this too. According to the fixture list I was shown yesterday on the GAA website it was to be the Dublin and Galway games on the Saturday. That was obviously before the draw was made.

They said fixtures decided to day. When you look at the minor fixtures that weekend it would def make sense to have two triple headers.

On the Saturday

Kerry Mayo Minors
Kerry Mayo Seniors
Dublin Cork Seniors

On the Sunday

Derry Galway Minors
Derry Clare  Seniors
Armagh Galway Seniors

[screenexile]

Any word of when they will announce the fixtures??

Happy enough with Clare it's a game we should be winning but they'll give us our fill and they'll be well up for this. Hope the lads can keep the feet on the ground and do a professional job like they did down there in the league.

[Wildweasel74]

I don't want Derry and Armagh travel same direction on the same day if a Saturday, nothing but traffic issues.

[screenexile]

Just out of interest how confident would derry be of beating galway considering the drubbing they handed out on the last day of the league.  Were derry missing players that day?

Think it would be a toss up with Galway slight favourites. Listening to McKaigue after the Tyrone game he said that while they had a decent league their preparations were hampered but that the break between the league and Cship gave the team a lot of time together and they've come on leaps and bounds since then.

Galway have improved as well and I think they would beat us but I couldn't see another drubbing like the last game. We were missing 4 that day from the current Championship team.

[David McKeown]

Having seen Armagh and Derry up close (Armagh too many times unfortunately), I think Derry would win that potential semi-final matchup. I think Armagh play some lovely stuff but in my opinion Derry are cuter and are more than capable of sticking with Armagh physically. I also think McKaigue would swallow Rian O'Neill up and that is really Armagh's attack - as good as Armagh's forwards are in general, everything runs through O'Neill in terms of playmaking as well so if you nullify him they really struggle.

I also don't think Armagh have anyone that could live with the likes of Glass and Rodgers when they get going.

But really I may be over-egging Derry a bit. They just remind me of Donegal in 2011/12. I think they can go as far as they want to this year. They may come up short for Sam if they face Dublin as the Dubs are just so good at playing against the system Derry play now, but I think they can beat any other team left in the competition. It's all about their mindset now and in that regard I think Clare is the perfect draw for them because while Clare are clearly a very good side, I think Derry should beat them even if they're not fully tuned in.

Don't mean to discount Galway either, that quarter final is a toss-up really. I expect that to be the pick of the quarters, it should be a cracking game - 2 very similar teams in their talent and while Galway have gone defensive against Mayo for example, they're more than capable of playing the attacking expansive game. I don't know Galway's defenders too well, who would be earmarked for Rian O'Neill? For Armagh I would put Jarlath Óg on Shane Walsh to try and stick with him athletically and maybe force him back the other way. Forker will go on Comer I'm guessing.

I think a lot will depend on the mindset of Derry. Very easy to loose focus after ending the drought for provincial honours. On paper I'd expect Derry to beat Clare but it will be interesting to see how they handle the longish lay off, the favourites tag and the refocusing after Ulster.

[Armagh18]

Worst draw for us. Would have taken Clare or Cork to be honest.
Certainly capable of winning it at the same time but will have to bring our A game to have a chance.

Good draw for us- to be honest wouldn't have minded Dublin but sick looking at Ulster teams and glad to be playing someone different. We're possibly slight favourites after knocking out Tyrone and Donegal but Galway a very very good side and Shane Walsh one of the best players in the country.

Going to be a cracking game with plenty of forwards on both sides capable of shooting the lights out in Croker. Do Galway have a man to stop Rian O'Neill? Do we have someone to stop Walsh?

Really looking forward to it, honestly the teams on our side of the draw will never have a better chance of reaching a final, Donegal and Tyrone out and the traditional big 3 on the other side of the draw.

[Armagh18]

Armagh talking about a all Ireland final already, think Derry just focus on Clare game.

No they aren't. But its wide open all 4 teams well capable of getting to a final.

[naka]

Armagh talking about a all Ireland final already, think Derry just focus on Clare game.

its a 50/50 game with both sides confident of winning it.

[balladmaker]

There should be nothing easy at Q/Final stage ... although Dublin and Derry should be happy with their respective draws.  Out of the 4 games, and as Mayo don't appear to be anything like they used to be, it looks like Galway v Armagh is the only real 50/50 match-up.

I assume the semi-final pairings will be kept together on the same day i.e. Armagh/Galway and Derry/Clare one day, Dublin/Cork and Kerry/Mayo on the other.

[yellowcard]

Best draw possible for Armagh, provides a realistic path of getting to AI final.

Why would you tempt fate like that. Go outside and turn around and spit 3 times immediately

Just saying it as it is and to pretend otherwise is disingenuous. All 3 sides (Armagh, Derry & Galway) will see a massive opportunity to get to the final and I don't see much difference between any of them.