All Ireland U21 football championship 2017

[shark]

All Ireland odds

Kerry 11/8                                                      
Dublin 4/1                                                      
Cork 7/1                                                      
Galway 7/1                                                      
Mayo 7/1                                                      
Donegal 8/1                                                      
Kildare 10/1                                                      
Tyrone 10/1                                                      
Armagh 20/1                                                      
Roscommon 20/1                                                      
Derry 25/1                                                      
Offaly 33/1                                                      
Cavan 40/1                                                      
Monaghan 50/1                                                
Sligo 50/1                                                      
Tipperary 50/1                                                      
Laois 66/1                                                      
Westmeath 66/1                                                      
Wexford 66/1                                                      
Longford 80/1                                                      
Clare 100/1                                                      
Limerick 100/1                                                      
Louth 125/1                                                      
Down 250/1                                                      
Leitrim 500/1                                                      
Antrim 750/1                                                      
Fermanagh 750/1                                                      
Waterford 1000/1                                                      
Wicklow 1000/1

Jaysis, Meath must be awful shite if they haven't even been given odds!

Ehhhh, yeah.

What the odds do show of course is the utter lunacy of the provincial system. Westmeath are roughly at a similar level to Roscommon I think it's fair to assume. Westmeath have already beaten Meath but yet are more than 3 times less likely than Ros (who haven't played a game yet) to win the All-Ireland. Obviously neither are going to win the All-Ireland, but it's just something that jumped out at me.

Odds are based on progression out rather than sheer talent

Connacht this year
Ros are 11/4 vs Galway 3/1
Galway are better than Ros but have to play Mayo

http://www.paddypower.com/bet/gaa-sports/gaa-football/connach-senior-football-championship

That's exactly the point I'm making. Maybe I wasn't clear enough.

[thewobbler]

Interesting that Armagh are 20/1 and Down are 250/1.

They meet in the first round and from what I know of both teams, there'll be no fear in either camp.

[Dinny Breen]

Games tomorrow.

Leinster U21FC first round
Wicklow v Louth, Baltinglass, 7.30pm

Leinster U21FC quarter-finals
Westmeath v Dublin, Lakepoint Mullingar, 7.30pm
Kildare v Longford, Hawkfield, 7.30pm
Offaly v Wexford, Gracefield, 7.30pm

For those looking for value Longford could be the bet. Kildare are missing Jimmy Hyland, Ciaran Kelly, Brian McLoughlin, Ethan O'Donoghue, Rory Feely, Tony Archibald, Paul Mescal, Alan Scully, that's a lot of underage talent plus our league star Ben McCormack is a doubt, missed the Derry game with a strain.

Longford have a good underage pedigree in recent seasons probably 3rd behind Kildare and Dublin in Leinster. Home advantage might swing it but expect it will be tight.

[ck]

Games tomorrow.

Leinster U21FC first round
Wicklow v Louth, Baltinglass, 7.30pm

Leinster U21FC quarter-finals
Westmeath v Dublin, Lakepoint Mullingar, 7.30pm
Kildare v Longford, Hawkfield, 7.30pm
Offaly v Wexford, Gracefield, 7.30pm

For those looking for value Longford could be the bet. Kildare are missing Jimmy Hyland, Ciaran Kelly, Brian McLoughlin, Ethan O'Donoghue, Rory Feely, Tony Archibald, Paul Mescal, Alan Scully, that's a lot of underage talent plus our league star Ben McCormack is a doubt, missed the Derry game with a strain.

Longford have a good underage pedigree in recent seasons probably 3rd behind Kildare and Dublin in Leinster. Home advantage might swing it but expect it will be tight.

Nonsense. Kildare will easily dispose of Longford tomorrow night and probably go to win Leinster

[Donnellys Hollow]

Kildare will struggle if McCormack isn't right and Mescal is a huge loss.

[RedHandTom]

I saw Kildare a couple of weeks ago. Was very impressed by them. They'll be hard to stop.

[sligoman2]

[quote aucthor=GalwayBayBoy link=topic=27690.msg1671988#msg1671988 date=1487893023]

Predictions:

Connacht: Mayo or Sligo
Ulster: Tyrone or Armagh
Leinster : Kildare or Dublin
Munster Kerry

All - Ireland: Kerry

Galway were fairly unlucky to lose to Mayo by a point in the 2014 Connacht minor championship. Were completely in control of the game in the first half. Mayo got a penalty on the stroke of half-time and then Galway's best player, Michael Daly, got a dubious red card early in the second half. I know they really felt they left that one behind them on the day.

http://connachttribune.ie/galway-minor-footballers-agony/

Galway have subsequently won the last 2 Connacht minor titles so that likely rematch with Mayo looks like a humdinger. Sligo I know like the look of their team as well. Have been doing well at schools level in recent years.

Schools success in Connacht has had feck all correlation with minor county level, though.

True. No Galway school has been doing much good in recent years anyway. Not even Jarlath's.

A lot of Mayo underage players come from all over the place as regards schools. We never had those super schools like Jarlath's used to be. Sligo have 2 super schools now with Attracta's and Summerhill. Most of their minors will come out of those schools. Last year Mayo had a very competitive A colleges team and don't think any of that team even made the minor panel.

Speaking of schools football...Mayo has representation in grade this year..Claremorris vs Tubbercurry in the A final. Ballinrobe vs Athenry in the B final next Monday, Ballyhaunis in the C final Saturday....and Belmullet have won the D final already.
[/quote]

St Attractas won the Connacht junior today v jarlaths.  Play the senior this weekend, great story brewing here, has to lead to good u21 and minor soon. We need a boost

Last minor Connacht winners 1968
Last u21  Connacht title - never

Sad story that hopefully will change

[ck]

On paper at least, the dubs look very strong (V Westmeath)

1. Evan Comerford (Ballymun Kickhams)
2. Eoin Murchan (Na Fianna)
3. Cillian O'Shea (Kilmacud Crokes)
4. Darren Byrne (Raheny)
5. Shane Clayton (Ballyboden St Enda's)
6. Sean McMahon (Raheny)
7. Brian Howard (Raheny)
8. Andy Foley (Clontarf)
9. Donal McIlgorm (Skerries Harps)
10. Glenn O'Reilly (Na Fianna)
11. Con O'Callaghan (Cuala)
12. Colm Basquel (Ballyboden St Enda's)
13. Chris Sallier (Thomas Davis)
14. Aaron Byrne (Na Fianna)
15. Tom Fox (Kilmacud Crokes)

[ballinaman]

[quote aucthor=GalwayBayBoy link=topic=27690.msg1671988#msg1671988 date=1487893023]

Predictions:

Connacht: Mayo or Sligo
Ulster: Tyrone or Armagh
Leinster : Kildare or Dublin
Munster Kerry

All - Ireland: Kerry

Galway were fairly unlucky to lose to Mayo by a point in the 2014 Connacht minor championship. Were completely in control of the game in the first half. Mayo got a penalty on the stroke of half-time and then Galway's best player, Michael Daly, got a dubious red card early in the second half. I know they really felt they left that one behind them on the day.

http://connachttribune.ie/galway-minor-footballers-agony/

Galway have subsequently won the last 2 Connacht minor titles so that likely rematch with Mayo looks like a humdinger. Sligo I know like the look of their team as well. Have been doing well at schools level in recent years.

Schools success in Connacht has had feck all correlation with minor county level, though.

True. No Galway school has been doing much good in recent years anyway. Not even Jarlath's.

A lot of Mayo underage players come from all over the place as regards schools. We never had those super schools like Jarlath's used to be. Sligo have 2 super schools now with Attracta's and Summerhill. Most of their minors will come out of those schools. Last year Mayo had a very competitive A colleges team and don't think any of that team even made the minor panel.

Speaking of schools football...Mayo has representation in grade this year..Claremorris vs Tubbercurry in the A final. Ballinrobe vs Athenry in the B final next Monday, Ballyhaunis in the C final Saturday....and Belmullet have won the D final already.

St Attractas won the Connacht junior today v jarlaths.  Play the senior this weekend, great story brewing here, has to lead to good u21 and minor soon. We need a boost

Last minor Connacht winners 1968
Last u21  Connacht title - never

Sad story that hopefully will change
[/quote]
Man of the match today for Attactas is a Mayo minor this year...due to play vs Colmans on Saturday. Plays for Charlestown.
Attactas favourites to beat Colmans.
Ballinrobe won B title last night. Ballyhaunis lost C last Saturday.

[Croí na hÉireann]

On paper at least, the dubs look very strong (V Westmeath)

1. Evan Comerford (Ballymun Kickhams)
2. Eoin Murchan (Na Fianna)
3. Cillian O'Shea (Kilmacud Crokes)
4. Darren Byrne (Raheny)
5. Shane Clayton (Ballyboden St Enda's)
6. Sean McMahon (Raheny)
7. Brian Howard (Raheny)
8. Andy Foley (Clontarf)
9. Donal McIlgorm (Skerries Harps)
10. Glenn O'Reilly (Na Fianna)
11. Con O'Callaghan (Cuala)
12. Colm Basquel (Ballyboden St Enda's)
13. Chris Sallier (Thomas Davis)
14. Aaron Byrne (Na Fianna)
15. Tom Fox (Kilmacud Crokes)

Con O'Callaghan straight in the team, would he have done many/any training sessions with the Dubs consdering Cualas run?

[Kuwabatake Sanjuro]

Kildare getting hammered, disappointing but not the end of the world.

[Cunny Funt]

Kildare getting hammered, disappointing but not the end of the world.

only half time Kildare have the strong wind now.

[Kuwabatake Sanjuro]

I suspected there was a wind involved, Hawkfield is rather open to the elements. Still to only score the 1 point in a half of football is terrible. The goals will probably be enough for Longford given the conditions.

[Kuwabatake Sanjuro]

2-3 to 6 now with Paddy Woodgate scoring everything, very much back in the game. Ben McCormack went off at half time for Jack Robinson.

[Kuwabatake Sanjuro]

Level now, fair play to them. I've yet to see a Brian Murphy trained Kildare team lack heart.